Avengers: Infinity War has biggest weekend opening ever in N. America
Marvel blockbuster expected to earn $250M US, beating record held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Avengers: Infinity War has shattered domestic and global records for best weekend opening at the box office, according to Disney Studios.
The blockbuster will rake in an estimated $250 million US from North American ticket sales, beating the record previously held by another Disney film — Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
About $19.3 million Cdn is projected to come from Canada, making it the biggest opening weekend for a film in the country as well.
"I think films like this show that we, as studios, just need to keep building and telling the right stories," Greg Mason, vice-president of marketing for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada, told CBC News.
The film, produced by Marvel Studios (a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios), unites a number of superheroes including Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther.
Mason credits the success of the Ryan Coogler-directed hit Black Panther, which was released in February, with helping keep audiences invested in the characters. It was lauded for its diverse cast and focus on African culture.
Infinity War also set a new global opening record with $630 million US, beating the one previously held by The Fate of the Furious at $541.9 million. And that was without an Avengers opening in China, the world's second-largest movie market. The film premieres there May 11.
Final weekend numbers will be released on Monday.
With files from the Associated Press