'Avengers: Endgame' Smashes Box Office Records with $1 Billion Opening

Just shy of one week after its release, Avengers: Endgame—starring Hamptonites Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts)—has exceeded its weighty expectations at the box office and broken multiple records. The Marvel Studios blockbuster pulled in $1.2 billion worldwide for its opening weekend, including $350 million in the U.S. according to multiple sources online.

Endgame beat the record for biggest international opening weekend of all time, a record previously held by its predecessor, Avengers: Infinity War, which sold $650 million in 2018. The $350 million domestic opening also beat Infinity War‘s previous $250 million record by $100 million. After one weekend, Endgame was already among the top 20 highest earning films in history.

Now, a few days hence, Endgame continues to gain huge ground, and it’s only halfway to its second weekend, which will significantly up the ante. By Tuesday, Deadline.com reports that the film reached $1.48 billion globally and is on its way to passing the $2 billion mark by Monday.

This incredible fan reaction was not lost on the film’s stars, several of whom have announced that Endgame would be their last appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Paltrow told Instagram followers it was “amazing to be part of such an impactful franchise.” Thor actor Chris Hemsworth, who visited Sag Harbor in 2017, noted the box office records on his Instagram, adding, “All I can say is thank you to all the fans. None of this is possible without you guys.”

The movie is the 22nd MCU film in a saga that began with Downey’s first Iron Man in 2008 and continued through more than a decade of mostly excellent pictures. Another round of films will begin the MCU’s Phase 4 but Marvel Studios has revealed little about them, officially. We can’t wait to continue this incredible ride.