Oh, Snap! ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Crushes $1.2B+ Global & $859M Overseas Record Bows; Propels MCU Pics To $20B WW – International Box Office

2ND SUNDAY UPDATE, writethru after 8:33AM: It all comes down to this: Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame has obliterated worldwide, overseas and domestic records, hammering home an $859M start at the international box office for an astounding $1.209B global launch. It is the first film ever to surpass $1B worldwide in its debut, reaching the milestone in just five days. Within the snap of a weekend, this reckoning with Thanos becomes the No. 18 film on the all-time global charts, leapfrogging Captain America: Civil War and the recent Captain Marvel. Endgame‘s massive bow also puts the collective cume of the 22 MCU films released to date at $19.9B global.

Through Friday (see earlier posts below), the Anthony and Joe Russo-helmed Endgame had already logged the biggest global and international openings ever. The previous record holder for a worldwide launch was Avengers: Infinity War at $640M and without China in the opening suite. Endgame is now Marvel and Disney’s 2nd billion-dollar release of 2019 (alongside Captain Marvel which itself has benefited from the Endgame effect), and Marvel’s 8th billion dollar film ever.

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While the industry always expected Endgame to have a stratospheric, record-busting launch, last week folks were cautious about predicting a $1B global opening (the extra runtime, China not having a full non-workday weekend, etc). However, as early offshore play, including China, coupled with North America’s amazing trajectory, signs began to point to this 22nd MCU pic coming in above $800M overseas and getting close to $1.2B for worldwide, both as we noted below yesterday.

Ultimately, Endgame, which had exhibitors keeping the lights on around the clock in many hubs, scored the highest opening weekend in industry history in 44 overseas markets. Included in that is China which posted an estimated debut of $330.5M (RMB 2.22B) over five days, the biggest local or Western film bow ever. Endgame is instantly the No. 4 Western title of all time there. Along with China, among the offshore markets to log the biggest opening weekend ever are Australia, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and the UK.

In the latter, Endgame’s $53.8M launch replaced Spectre’s claim to the biggest UK opening ever, even though James Bond had a 7-day start in his home territory back in 2015.

There is joy, and awe, in Burbank today. Cathleen Taff, Disney’s President of Theatrical Distribution, Franchise Management and Business & Audience Insights, tells Deadline, “We’re ecstatic” and also “floored and amazed by the response from fans around the world.” Endgame’s opening is not just about a number, says Taff, but the word of mouth that has propelled the record weekend. She cites the “can’t-miss factor” for the “ultimate culmination of this franchise that the Marvel team has been building for a decade now.”

In IMAX, Endgame, which is the second film in history to be shot entirely with its cameras, smashed the format’s all-time worldwide opening record with $91.5M. That tops the global IMAX debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens by 92%. In 3D, this is the top global launch ever with an estimated $540M of the total in the format.

Megan Colligan, President, IMAX Entertainment and EVP IMAX Corp, credits the “thoughtfulness” with which Marvel has built out the MCU to get to this moment and “deliver audiences the ultimate movie event.” The Russo brothers shooting with IMAX cameras also “signaled to fans that this is a way to see the movie” and speaks to IMAX’s strategy of aligning with filmmakers as “pure partners right from the start.” Colligan predicts a “lot of jet fuel” in Endgame’s tank.

Certainly, to what extent frontloading is a factor on Endgame will be a question going forward in terms of where it ends up, but it is likely to take on a water-cooler/must-see element for non-core fans as well as generating repeat-viewing. All markets are now open save Russia which bows on Monday. There and elsewhere the May 1 holiday falls this week, including in China which gets an extended four-day break. We’ll be keeping an eye on the midweeks as further thresholds continue to be crossed.

Immediately below is a breakdown on Endgame‘s international estimates through Sunday as well as a snapshot of the other pics in play overseas. See below those for earlier updates on the weekend as it unfolded.

On its way to an $859M launch at No. 1 in 54 markets, Endgame’s international play began with China’s record-breaking midnights on April 23, which then funneled into a record-breaking opening day on April 24.

Despite record presales , there had been early concern that given the Middle Kingdom’s five-day opening included only one non-school/non-workday the start could come in only around $250M. But word of mouth off great online scores pushed it to the biggest opening of all time at $330.5M (RMB 2.22B). It is already the No. 4 Hollywood film ever (behind The Fate Of The Furious, Furious 7 and Infinity War) and logged the biggest single day ever on Saturday.

China IMAX was good for a huge $42.4M on 609 screens. That beats recent local smash The Wandering Earth by 66% for an all-time record — and tops Infinity War’s entire Middle Kingdom run in the format ($41.2M). Nine of China’s Top 10 cinemas were IMAX with per-screen averages of $69.5K for the format’s best-ever recorded there.

IMAX also set opening weekend box office records across 49 other markets, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, India, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, among others.

Overall, Endgame posted the highest opening weekend in industry history in 44 markets. With China, that also includes Australia, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Spain and the UK. Iron Man, Cap, Thor and the gang further set the highest industry single-day grosses in 29 markets, including the above.

Thanos was on fire in Latin America where every market logged the biggest weekend ever. Across the region, the cume was $100M, topping Infinity War’s record $74M. In Asia-Pacific, the regional total was $545M to top IW’s record $340M. Europe/Middle East/Africa brought in $214M for another regional record, topping Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ $172M.

In broken-out highlights, Endgame’s $53.8M UK launch replaced Spectre’s claim to the biggest opening ever, even though James Bond had a 7-day start in the market a few years back. In India, a staggering $26.7M is the biggest opening weekend ever for a Western title. Japan’s $13M is tops for an MCU movie in that market. In the Philippines, Endgame is already the 2nd biggest movie overall ever, just with opening weekend on the books.

Here are the Top 15 markets through Sunday: China ($330.5M), UK ($53.8M), Korea ($47.4M), Mexico ($33.1M), Australia ($30.8M), Germany ($26.9M), India ($26.7M), Brazil ($26M), France ($24.2M), Italy ($19M), Philippines ($17.9M), Thailand ($14.3M), Indonesia ($14.1M), Spain ($13.3M) and Japan ($13M).

(WB): $7.9M intl weekend (71 markets); $45.7M intl cume(DIS): $6.4M intl weekend (51 markets); $220.6M intl cume(PAR): $5.6M intl weekend (53 markets); $58.1M intl cume(WB): $5.4M intl weekend (80 markets); $215.2M intl cume(DIS): $2.1M intl weekend (45 markets); $696.6M intl cume(PAR): $2M intl weekend (49 markets); $49.7M intl cume(UNI): $700K intl weekend (13 markets); $6.6M intl cume(FOX): $600K intl weekend (17 markets); $7.6M intl cume(UNI): $500K intl weekend (48 markets); $76.6M intl cume(UNI): $400K intl weekend (35 markets); $356.4M intl cume

2ND SATURDAY UPDATE, writethru after 8:31 AM post: Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame has now collected $487M worth of infinity stones at the international box office. That’s through Friday, and does not include an estimated $82.4M in China on Saturday which pushes Iron Man, Cap, Thor and the gang across the $300M mark there. With domestic’s $156.7M estimate through Friday, the global total (again, excluding China’s Saturday) is $643.7M. We are looking at a worldwide opening over $1.1B, an all-time — and mindboggling — industry record.

Overseas, the $487M through Friday already breaks the record for the highest opening weekend internationally ever, topping The Fate of the Furious‘ $443M (which had China in the opening suite). The global total through Friday is also a new benchmark, overtaking the highest worldwide opening weekend which was previously set by Avengers: Infinity War ($641M, and no China).

While the industry always expected Endgame‘s to be a stratospheric launch, last week folks were cautious about predicting a $1B global opening (the long runtime, China’s lack of days off during the debut, etc). Given the incredible trajectory the 22nd MCU pic has been on this weekend — and a lack of down-drag from the extra runtime coupled with round-the-clock screenings in many markets — sources now see Endgame reaching even higher, to a $1.1B worldwide take, and, yes, even nearing $1.2B.

Of that, this reckoning with Thanos is now looking to reach well into the $800Ms overseas.

In IMAX, and this is only the second movie ever to be entirely shot with its cameras, Endgame has already scored the best opening weekend ever with $52.1M through Friday. IMAX set record opening days in 45 overseas markets, including Friday openers Mexico, Japan and India, to add to previously reported record openings in Germany, France, Taiwan, Brazil, Argentina, Italy and the UAE. The offshore cume, outside China, is 11.9M. In the Middle Kingdom, the IMAX total through Friday is $28.2M. That surpasses The Wandering Earth‘s six-day opening weekend of $25.5M and also beats Infinity War‘s full opening week of $26.9M.

China’s business overall will slow on Sunday which is a workday (to compensate for next week’s four-day holiday which will likely further fuel Endgame), but the movie has already set a record as the fastest to RMB 2B in the market — that includes local Chinese New Year titles like The Wandering Earth this year.

Elsewhere, new markets that were added on Friday include Mexico where the Anthony and Joe Russo-helmed series finale logged the biggest all-time industry single day with $12.5M, 35% higher than Infinity War‘s opening day.

Other milestones accrued on Friday include Vietnam‘s best single day ever, India‘s best Western opening (and No. 3 for any movie — notable in a market that is 90% local — plus 56% bigger than Infinity War) and Japan logging the top Marvel start at 70% over IW.

Here are the Top 5 grossers through Friday: China (217.4M/$300.3M including Saturday), UK ($27M), Korea ($23M/$34.5M including Saturday), Australia ($19.7M) and Germany ($15.2M).

2ND FRIDAY UPDATE 10:18 AM PT, writethru: Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame continues smashing records at the international box office, crushing $305M in just its first two days. Now playing in 46 offshore markets, the 22nd MCU entry is pacing ahead of Avengers: Infinity War in each of those and set a new industry single-day benchmark in the UK on Thursday with $15.3M. The Anthony and Joe Russo-directed Endgame has the same bragging rights in all Latin American markets that opened yesterday, including Brazil ($7M).

Not included in the international total above is the China Friday which is coming in at an estimated $61.9M, that puts the Middle Kingdom tally through three days at $216.4M. As noted below, this tramples Infinity War‘s weekend launch last year, which had a straight three-day FSS bow of about $190M. Thursday’s Endgame China number was down 40.5% from Wednesday, an expected drop, with Friday’s estimate up on that by 31.7%. Saturday will go higher. Also as previously noted, Endgame is on track to leave the $300M threshold well in its dust over the five-day Middle Kingdom launch which nonetheless includes only one non-work/non-school day.

We are in uncharted waters with Endgame, but an international opening of well over $700M is now in sight. Couple that with domestic’s likely $300M start and we are ready to call an unprecedented $1B global opening a strong possibility. As we reported in our worldwide preview, to make that happen China and/or the U.S. would need to overperform. China is certainly doing it with two days of play to go (though we do expect Sunday to see a steep drop given folks need to work that day). The rest of international has blown up through Thursday, and will see Mexico join the team today, plus there’s all that Saturday and Sunday on deck. We will of course know more as the weekend progresses. In the meantime, it’s not all about China overseas…

Along with the UK, which came in 86% over Infinity War, and Brazil (+67%), Thursday launch markets that opened to the biggest single-day record ever include Panama, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Trinidad, Uruguay, Portugal, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Serbia (non-local), Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine.

In Europe, new hubs that saw the No. 2 biggest all-time opening day include Croatia and Hungary. Israel, Poland and Slovenia scored the top superhero bow ever.

In holdovers, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Philippines and Thailand gave Endgame the 2nd best industry single day on Thursday, after posting the highest all-time industry single day on Wednesday. Australia and New Zealand, which had Anzac Day, dipped by just 3% and 1%, respectively. Also yesterday, Taiwan and Malaysia posted the best all-time industry Thursday.

For IMAX (the film is only the second ever fully shot with its cameras), there have been opening day records in 38 markets including China, France, Germany, Taiwan, Brazil and Argentina. The global total through Thursday in the format is $33M. In China, Endgame made $21M over the first two days which tops the 3-day opening weekend record held by Infinity War ($20.3M).

The Top 10 overall international markets through Thursday are China ($154.5M – does not include Friday estimates), UK ($15.3M), Korea ($14.6M/$22.7M estimate with Friday), Australia ($13.9M), Italy ($10.4M), Germany ($9.7M), France ($9.6M), Philippines ($7M), Brazil ($7M) and Indonesia ($5.1M).

FRIDAY, 1ST UPDATE, 6:45AM PT: While we wait on Avengers: Endgame’s full Thursday numbers at the international box office, the Disney/Marvel marvel has today added another milestone to its gauntlet. In China, with Friday’s early estimates included, our band of heroes has crossed the $200M mark, and in so doing topped the first full weekend of Avengers: Infinity War. Early figures from local ticketing platform Maoyan have Endgame already at RMB 1.44B/$214M through Friday. Infinity War bowed to RMB 1.272B across a Friday/Saturday/Sunday weekend last year.

Endgame is on track to leave the $300M threshold in its dust over the five-day Middle Kingdom launch which nonetheless includes only one non-work/non-school day. That’s something that had given our experts pause coming into the session, but strong word of mouth is fueling a great start beginning with the record-breaking Wednesday earlier this week. Yesterday’s dip from Day 1 was a little more than 40% which was to be expected, while today should be up from Thursday by about 30%. We’ll update these unofficial local figures in just a little bit, and have more from around the world.

PREVIOUS, THURSDAY UPDATE, writethru: Along with its record-breaking first day in China, Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame is crushing into the all-time books with a cumulative $169M through Wednesday at the international box office. That one-day gross includes the $107.5M start in the Middle Kingdom yesterday as well as debuts in 24 other material markets. Each of the openings on Wednesday was bigger than Avengers: Infinity War, putting Endgame, from directors Anthony and Joe Russo, ahead of the previous installment in all markets.

In China, the running cume estimate through Thursday (ie today, and still an early number which is not fully included in the total above), is $153M (RMB 1.03B). This reflects a $45.5M Thursday which is a roughly 42% drop from Wednesday (sans midnights). That’s an expected dip given the hyper-anticipation for opening day. The full weekend, which is a 5-day frame that includes just one non-workday, is looking towards the $300M+ zone.

Endgame set a new IMAX opening day benchmark (including midnights) with RMB 93M ($13.8M) from 608 screens, surpassing Infinity War by 82%. IMAX repped about 13% of the Middle Kingdom launch gross, as well as the Top 10 locations and 88 of the 100 best-performing sites. The 22nd MCU entry is only the second film in history to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras. (For more on the China opening, see here.)

The series-ender is poised to be an all-time international and global record-breaker and we’ll have a clearer picture of just where it’s headed when more markets come online. Right now, the international opening estimates are trending well upwards, into the $700M+ range. Domestic has previews starting tonight local time while overseas today adds the UK and Brazil with Friday recruiting Japan and Mexico to the team.

Overall through Wednesday, eight markets have logged the biggest industry single-day record, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Philippines and Korea (the latter in terms of admissions). Among records for opening days are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands and a handful more.

In the UK, early indications point to record-setting numbers for midnights and the rest of the session. Applaudience reports that as of midday local time today, about 1.2M tickets have been sold for the FSS.

Turning back to Wednesday numbers, the next best launch after China was in Korea at $8.4M, which as well as being the top all-time industry single day in admissions, is the best non-holiday opening day ever. (Early estimates today have Korea adding another $6M.) On Wednesday, Iron Man and the crew came in 40% higher than Infinity War there. Some markets had even bigger increases over Infinity War with Hong Kong up 98%, Germany 95% ahead and France over by 64%.

The No. 3 opening grosser after China and Korea so far is Australia with $7M for +17% on IW. ComScore’s PostTrak locally reports that the film has five out of five stars in Oz and an 88 Total Positive score from audiences with a 68% “definitely recommend.”

Rounding out the Top 10 Wednesday openers are France ($6M/+64%), Italy ($5.8M/+66%), Germany ($5.6M/+95%), Philippines ($3.9M/+45%), Hong Kong ($2.7M/+98%), Taiwan ($2.6M/+50%) and Indonesia ($2.5M/+42%).

The assembled Avengers also hit the highest superhero opening day of all time in Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.