'Avengers: Endgame' smashes box office records around the world

Marvel's latest is already a record-breaker, and opening weekend isn't even over

This image released by Disney shows, from left, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Karen Gillan, the character Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd and Scarlett Johansson in a scene from “Avengers: Endgame.” (Disney/Marvel Studios via AP)
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Avengers: Endgame hasn't even officially finished its opening weekend yet, but already the grand finale of the 22-film, 11-year first chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is smashing box office records all over the world.

Here's a rundown of some of the key records the film has taken to date. It's a safe bet there'll be plenty more to come by the time the film finishes what looks likely to be a very long run in cinemas.

  • Thursday preview record: In the US, Avengers: Endgame set a record for top Thursday preview gross at $60 million (Dh220m), beating the 2015 record of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at $57 million.
  • Domestic weekend record: Disney projected on Friday afternoon that Avengers: Endgame would finish the domestic opening weekend at about $300 million, smashing their own record set by Avengers: Infinity War with $257.7 million.
  • International record breaker: It became the biggest single-day performer in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Korea, the UK, Brazil, Egypt, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Trinidad, Uruguay, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine.
  • Biggest Chinese opening day: Endgame set the record on April 24 for the biggest opening day and biggest single day in Chinese history with $107.2 million, surpassing China's homegrown production Monster Hunt 2.
  • Most screens for one film: Endgame set a new record by showing at 4,662 North American locations.

More to come

With full opening weekend results not due to be released until tomorrow, we'll have to hang on to know the full extent of the film's record-breaking marathon, but a couple more milestone's the movie seems likely to set include:

  • Top market share: The fourth Avengers movie looks on course to take the title for top US market share for an opening weekend. That distinction is currently held by Avengers: Age of Ultron with 82 per cent of the total market when it opened with $233 million in 2015. Comscore indicated the rest of this weekend's releases will probably take in about $40 million. That could give Endgame a record-setting share of more than 85 per cent.
  • Biggest worldwide opening: The biggest international opening (i.e. outside the US) is currently held by Fate of the Furious with $443 million. Endgame has already taken almost a quarter of that in the Chinese market alone. The biggest worldwide opening weekend (including the US) is currently held by Avengers: Infinity War at $640 million. That record seems almost certain to be toppled.

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Read more:

Review: 'Avengers: Endgame' ties up loose ends and unties many more

Marvel's 'Endgame': How the studio changed the movie industry with its superhero series

The 'Avengers: Endgame' survival guide

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