'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Still Dominating the Box Office
Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron topped the U.S. box office for a second weekend, bringing in $77 million, and totally demolishing its closest rival, action comedy Hot Pursuit, by taking more than five times its earnings.
The Avengers sequel has now taken $313 million in just 10 days at the U.S. box office, and is the joint second fastest film to pass $300 million, tying with Christopher Nolan's, The Dark Knight.
Next weekend will be a far tougher test for Age of Ultron with Mad Max: Fury Road being released. This weekend was basically Marvel's last chance to make some real dough — and they seem to have achieved their objective.
Finishing in second place was Hot Pursuit, which done far better than Warner Bros. expected, bringing in $13.3 million in its opening weekend. The movie, starring Reese Witherspoon (Wild) and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), took some serious bashing from critics — so for it to take the money it did — WB are pretty happy with its performance.
"Critics were very tough on Hot Pursuit," said Paul Dergarabedian from box office analysts Rentrak."It was a formula that for whatever reason didn't resonate with the critics, and I think that had an impact on its box office. Ultron is just so big, it's such a behemoth, it's hard for a newcomer to get attention."
Fantasy drama The Age of Adaline finished in third placed this weekend, with takings of $5.6 million, while Furious 7 took home $5.2 million leaving it in fourth place, and taking its worldwide gross to $1.5 billion to date.
top 10 - U.S. WEEKEND BOX OFFICE (May 8-10)
1. Avengers: Age of Ultron - $77.2 million
2. Hot Pursuit - $13.3 million
3. The Age of Adaline - $5.6 million
4. Furious 7 - $5.2 million
5. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 - $5.1 million
6. Ex Machina - $3.4 million
7. Home - $3 million
8. Woman in Gold - $1.6 million
9. Cinderella - $1.5 million
10. Unfriended - $1.4 million
