'Avengers' sequel is second biggest U.S. opener of all time

LOS ANGELES — The Avengers are mighty, but not enough to beat themselves. The Marvel and Disney sequel earned a staggering $187.7 million in its debut weekend, making it the second biggest U.S. opening of all time according to Rentrak estimates Sunday.

But "Avengers: Age of Ultron" failed to top the all-time record of the first film's $207.4 million debut in 2012.

Although "Ultron" was the only new film in wide release this weekend, it had some significant small screen competition: The Kentucky Derby, the NBA playoffs, and the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight.

Numbers could shift by the time Monday actuals roll in, but it seems the robust counter-programming may have blockaded another record for Marvel and Disney.

Still, for Disney's head of distribution Dave Hollis, the weekend was a "spectacular result."

Playing on 4,276 screens, the audiences for "Ultron's" debut were 59 percent male and 41 percent under the age of 25.

"We're in rare air here," said Hollis. "Having the second biggest opening weekend in the history of the movie business is always going to be something you walk away overwhelmingly happy with. The momentum of the brand for Marvel at this point is really something to take a step back and admire."

Marvel and Disney now boast the top three opening weekends of all time with "Avengers" and its sequel taking the top two slots and "Iron Man 3" in third place.

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