Weekend Estimates: Infinity War Smashes Opening Weekend Record

April 29, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War will smash the all-time opening weekend record this weekend with a sensational $250 million domestically and $380 million internationally, according to Disney’s Sunday morning projections. After $106 million on Friday, the studio estimates the film had the biggest Saturday of all time, with $83 million, and is projecting an all-time-best $61 million on Sunday.

The writing was on the wall as early as Friday, when Infinity War earned just shy of $67 million for the day, excluding previews, besting Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ $62 million, excluding previews. With that in the bank, the question for the weekend became whether Infinity War could claw back its $18 million deficit ($39 million to $57 million) from preview night. The answer came this morning. With an estimated $83,017,000 on Saturday, easily an all-time record for the day, it has recovered another $15 million from that gap, putting it ahead of Force Awakens after two days. Disney actually has the luxury of low-balling their estimate for Sunday, with a figure roughly in line with Force Awakens’ $60.5-million third day. If Infinity War continues on its current path, it’ll actually do about $8 million more, for a $258 million weekend.

Globally, the film is arguably doing even better. Its $630-million opening is the biggest global weekend of all time by a cool $100 million or so. The Fate of the Furious held the title, with $532 million, set last year. The previous Avengers movies had staggered releases, coming out a week earlier internationally, but each earned the equivalent of $392.5 million around the world on debut (adding their international openings to their domestic ones). Adjusted for inflation, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 held the previous record, with $483 million in 2011, which is about $592 million after adjusting for inflation.

On top of everything else, Infinity War’s numbers do not include China, where the film opens on May 11.

In individual territories, the film is having the biggest weekend of all time in Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Brazil, Central America, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, South Africa, and West Africa (phew!). It’s mostly the 2nd- or 3rd-biggest earner in other territories. By overall dollars, its biggest territories so far are:

- Weekend estimates

- Avengers: Infinity War comparisons
- Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise history
- Biggest weekends at the box office
- Biggest Fridays
- Biggest Saturdays
- Biggest Sundays
- Top-grossing super hero movies
- Avengers: Infinity War daily tracking vs. other $600 million-plus movies

Bruce Nash

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Cinematic Universe