Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 30 april 2018
‘Infinity War’ opens with record $250M, passing ‘Star Wars’

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — A whole
lot of superheroes added
up to a whole lot of ticket
sales. The superhero smor-
gasbord “Avengers: Infin-
ity Wars” opened with pre-
dictable shock-and-awe,
earning $250 million in box
office over the weekend
and edging past “Star
Wars: The Force Awakens”
to set the highest opening
weekend of all-time.
“Infinity War,” which brings
together some two dozen
superheroes in the 10-year
culmination of Marvel Stu-
dio’s “cinematic universe,”
also set a new global open-
ing record with $630 mil-
lion even though it’s yet to
open in China, the world’s
second-largest movie mar-
ket. It opens there May 11.
According to the Walt Dis-
ney Co.’s estimates Sun-
day, “Infinity War” over-
whelmed the previous
global best (“The Fate of This image released by Marvel Studios shows, from left, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Benedict
the Furious” with $541.9 mil- Wong in a scene from “Avengers: Infinity War.
lion) but narrowly topped Associated Press
“The Force Awakens” in $260 million accounting for nine of the top 10 opening “Infinity War” is one of the weekend’s global ticket
North America. The “Star inflation. But both interga- weekends ever — six be- largest films ever assem- sales. Greg Foster, head
Wars” reboot debuted with lactic behemoths belong longing to Marvel releases. bled. With a production of entertainment for IMAX
$248 million in 2015, which to Disney, which now owns That includes “Black Pan- budget reportedly almost Corp, said the success of
would translate to about
ther,” which has grossed $300 million, Joe and An- Marvel stands apart from
$1.3 billion since opening in thony Russo’s film brings to- Hollywood’s other mega
February and still managed gether the stars of Marvel’s franchises. “This isn’t some-
to rank fifth at this week- superhero stable, including thing that their parents
end’s box office, thanks Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron saw. This isn’t an old fran-
partially to Marvel fans self- Man, Chris Hemsworth’s chise that their parents
programming a double- Thor, Chadwick Boseman’s saw when they were 20,”
feature. The track record Black Panther, Chris Evans’ said Foster. “This is theirs.
for Marvel, along with the Captain America, Mark The Marvel universe is the
hyper, extravagant effort Ruffalo’s Hulk, and many group of characters that
put into the long-planned more. It was shot over 18 this generation owns.”
“Infinity War,” made the months back-to-back with No new wide releases
record-setting weekend a sequel due out next sum- dared to compete with “In-
something of a fait accom- mer. Marvel spent years finity War,” which played
pli. After ten years, 18 prior laying the groundwork for at 4,474 theaters in North
films and some $15 billion the big showdown, teas- America. In a very distant
in box office, the weekend ing its villain (Josh Brolin’s second place was John
was an assured and long- Thanos) since 2014. The Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place”
awaited coronation for result earned positive re- with $10.7 million in its fourth
Kevin Feige’s Marvel, the views (84 percent fresh on week. With $148.2 million in
most dominant force in a Rotten Tomatoes) and an total ticket sales, the Para-
Hollywood with precious A CinemaScore from audi- mount Pictures thriller had
few sure things. ences. All but one of Mar- topped the box office three
“To have now the biggest vel’s 19 cinematic universe of the last four weekends.
movie of domestic history releases has scored an A Paul Dergarabedian, senior
as one of the Marvel cin- CinemaScore. media analyst for com-
ematic universe films seems As if to further stamp its Score, credited Marvel
like a fitting tribute to the pronounced enormity, “In- with the potent lead-up
Marvel Studios team which finity War” was also the to “Infinity Wars” with “Spi-
has had just an astounding, first film shot entirely with der-Man: Homecoming,”
unmatched run in the last IMAX cameras. (Christo- ‘’Guardians of the Galaxy
decade,” said Dave Hollis, pher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” was Vol. 2,” ‘’Thor: Ragnarok”
head of distribution for Dis- mostly shot on IMAX.) IMAX and “Black Panther” — all
ney. By any measure, the screenings accounted for successful and well-re-
2-hour-and-40 minute-long a record $41 million of the viewed entries.q