The Age of Ultron continues!
Marvel's greatest heroes were once again champions at the box office this weekend, putting AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON on top with an estimated $77.2 million!
That is down 60% from its huge domestic opening last weekend, compared to the 51% drop of the first AVENGERS. The sequel's 10-day total of $312.8 million is the third-highest behind AVENGERS ($402 million, on its way to a $623 million finish) and THE DARK KNIGHT ($313 million).
Additionally, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON is now up to $875.2 million worldwide, more than halfway to the original's $1.5 billion total (the robot-smashing saga still hasn't opened in some territories such as China). It now trails only THE AVENGERS and IRON MAN 3 for Marvel's biggest global successes.
In second place was the weekend's only major new release HOT PURSUIT with $13.3 million. Originally titled DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS, the PG-13 Reese Witherspoon/Sofia Vergara comedy was obviously targeting audiences who might be exhausted with costumes and superpowers, but it got busted by critics (6% on Rotten Tomatoes) and moviegoers ('C+' CinemaScore).
The Blake Lively romance-fantasy THE AGE OF ADALINE has proven to be shrewd counter-programming, in third place with $5.6 million and a $31.5 million total (on a reported $25 million cost). Behind it, FURIOUS 7 was still barreling along with another $5.2 million, helping feed an insane $1.46 billion worldwide total.
Even after it's been in theaters for a month, enough people are seeing PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 to keep it in the top half of the chart, so that's… well, something. The R-rated sci-fi drama EX MACHINA (expanding further but still on 1000 fewer screens than anything in the Top 5) moved up a spot to sixth with $3.4 million, followed by the computer-animated HOME in seventh with $3 million.
The list was filled out with the Helen Mirren drama WOMAN IN GOLD, Disney's live-action CINDERELLA (still inching toward $200 million domestic) and the horror movie UNFRIENDED (with nearly $31 million banked on a $1 million cost).
Outside the chart, the Nicholas Sparks romance THE LONGEST RIDE was put away wet, while the new James Marsden/Jack Black comedy THE D TRAIN was out of service with less than half a million bucks on 1000 screens, and the Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie-daughter drama MAGGIE (also on VOD) got quarantined with $131k on 79 screens.
Next weekend brings a pair of contenders to Ultron's throne: the singing sequel PITCH PERFECT 2 and the Tom Hardy variation of wasteland warrior Rockatansky in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD.
What is your favorite Marvel movie that is NOT part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? VOTE HERE!
| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | $77.2 M | $312.8 M |
| 2 | Hot Pursuit | $13.3 M | NEW |
| 3 | The Age of Adaline | $5.6 M | $31.5 M |
| 4 | Furious 7 | $5.2 M | $338.4 M |
| 5 | Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 | $5.1 M | $58 M |
| 6 | Home | $3 M | $162.1 M |
| 7 | Ex Machina | $3.4 M | $15.7 M |
| 8 | Woman in Gold | $1.6 M | $26.9 M |
| 9 | Cinderella | $1.5 M | $196.1 M |
| 10 | Unfriended | $1.4 M | $30.9 M |