Avengers: Endgame on pace to crack $400 million in US and Canada opening

Avengers: Endgame on pace to crack $400 million in US and Canada opening
PHOTO: Reuters

LOS ANGELES - Marvel superhero spectacle Avengers: Endgame hauled in a record $60 million at US and Canadian box offices on Thursday night, and distributor Walt Disney Co "cautiously" predicted an unprecedented $300 million (S$408 million) weekend debut.

That would smash the current opening-weekend domestic record of $258 million, set a year ago by predecessor Avengers: Infinity War.

"As we are looking at levels of pre-sales and grosses not seen before, we are cautiously projecting a three-day in the $300 (million) range," Disney said in an e-mail on Friday afternoon.

The three-hour film starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson is the final chapter in a story told across 22 Marvel films. It picks up after "Infinity War," when many of Marvel's big-screen superheroes appeared to turn to dust.

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In "Endgame," survivors including Iron Man, the Hulk and Black Widow plot to kill the supervillain Thanos and undo his damage.

Thursday evening's domestic sales topped the previous opening night record of $57 million set in 2015 by Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Endgame began rolling out in international markets on Wednesday and has achieved records in China and several other countries. As of Friday morning, global ticket sales reached $305 million, Disney said.

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