by Pamela McClintock
The Disney and Marvel Studios tentpole makes history in nabbing the biggest opening of all time in North America; globally “Avengers” has earned a massive $641.8 million in 12 days.
Joss Whedon’s The Avengers has set a new bar in opening to a walloping $200.3 million at the domestic box office, the largest debut ever and kicking of summer 2012 in high style.
The Avengers — marking a major victory for Disney and Marvel Studios — easily dethroned Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which opened to $169.2 million last summer, then the largest number in history.
Overseas, where Avengers opened a week ago, the tentpole has earned $441.5 million for a stunning worldwide total of $641.8 million — already surpassing the lifetime totals of Captain America: The First Avenger ($364 million), Thor ($449 million), Iron Man ($585 million) and Iron Man 2 ($624 million).
The 3D tentpole is now positioned to reach $1 billion in global grosses.
Among other records, Avengers is the first film in history to cross $200 million in only three days of play at the domestic box office. It also scored the biggest Saturday gross of all time in earning $69.7 million.
