Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” practically rewrote the record books as it bowed with a five-day opening weekend gross of a staggering P339.83-million nationwide – the biggest ever opening weekend in Philippine history. This was announced today by a spokesman of Walt Disney Studios Philippines which distributed the film.
Launching in highest-ever 607 screens nationwide, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” arrived in cinemas with an aggressive marketing push and wild fan anticipation, enabling it to single-handedly dominate the market. Most exhibitors devoted all their their available screens to the film in order to accommodate the surge of moviegoers.
The film rolled out Wednesday, April 22 and immediately broke the records for Biggest Opening Day of All-Time (beating former record-holder “Man of Steel” which launched on a holiday) and Biggest Wednesday of All-Time (eclipsing “Iron Man 3”) with a massive P72.74-M.
Then the rest of the records fell one day after the other: Biggest Non-Holiday Thursday of All-Time at P50.09-M (surpassing “Iron Man 3”); Biggest Friday of All-Time at 51.77-M (overtaking “Iron Man 3”); Biggest Saturday of All-Time at P81.96-M (breaking “Transformers: Age of Extinction”) and Biggest Sunday (ahead of “Iron Man 3′) and Single Day of All-Time (past “Transformers: Age of Extinction”) at P83.27-M.
The PH opening of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” mirrored the film’s record-breaking launch internationally at $201.2-M across some 44 territories this April 22-26 weekend.
“Ultron” was the highest-grossing film in everywhere it opened, and has now rolled out in 55% of the international marketplace, including France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Korea, Australia and the Philippines.
The hotly anticipated superhero sequel opens next week in the U.S., where it is expected to earn north of $200 million and could top the first “Avengers’” record-breaking $207.4 million now.
Back in the Philippines, SM North EDSA posted the biggest share of receipts at P19.21-M, followed by SM Megamall with P17.90-M and SM Mall of Asia with P17.43-M.
The top ten-grossing cinemas include Trinoma (P10.54-M), SM Cebu (P9.89-M), Glorietta 4 (P8.41-M), SM Southmall (P6.93-M), Eastwood (P6.04-M), SM Aura (P5.80-M) and SM Clark (P5.72-M).
Rounding out the top twenty theaters are Ayala Cebu (P5.67-M), Power Plant (P5.53-M), Greenhills Promenade (P5.10-M), Greenbelt 3 (P5.06-M), Alabang Town Center (P4.76-M), Gateway (P4.75-M), Bonifacio High Street (P4.71-M), Shang Cineplex (P4.63-M), Market! Market! (P4.61-M) and Newport (P4.51-M).
Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.
Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963.
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is now playing across the Philippines in IMAX 3D, 4DX, Digital 3D and 2D cinemas.