PBCS: “Avengers” Save the World, Humans Pony Up Record-Breaking $200 Million

Each week we run the box office numbers through our proprietary formula that tabulates receipts, the film's budget, the number of screens and critical response to see not just who made the most money, but who is really performing well in the PopcornBiz Championship Series.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" last year shattered the record for biggest opening weekend, taking in $169,189,427. You can forget all about that number, because "The Avengers" has made mincemeat of it, taking in $200,300,000 in its opening weekend. Throw in "The Avengers"' overseas haul, and Earth's mightiest heroes have now made more than $640 worldwide, good enough for 55th all-time.

There was $242 million spent at America's movie theaters this week, and 82% of it was on "The Avengers"--that is a dominant performance. Here's the week's top 10 films, per Box Office Mojo:

1. The Avengers - $200,300,000
2. Think Like a Man - $8,000,000
3. The Hunger Games - $5,700,000
4. The Lucky One - $5,510,000
5. The Pirates! Band of Misfits - $5,400,000
6. The Five-Year Engagement - $5,100,000
7. The Raven - $2,508,000
8. Safe (2012) - $2,470,000
9. Chimpanzee - $2,395,000
10. The Three Stooges - $1,800,000

If you're wondering whether "The Avengers" have a shot at sinking the "Titanic" record of $760.5 million, consider that it took the James Cameron film 10 days to make $200 million. But "Avatar" had the advantage of going up a weak field as it marched its way across the landscape. "The Avengers" will have to go up against "Dark Shadows," "Battleship," "Men in Black 3" and "Snow White and the Huntsman" over the next few weeks.

It goes without saying that when we run the film's box office, glowing reviews and budget through our proprietary formula, "The Avengers" take the top spot in the PopcornBiz Championship Series:

1. The Avengers - 2691
2. Think Like a Man - 211
3. The Hunger Games - 59
4. The Five-Year Engagement - 23
5. The Pirates! Band of Misfits - 20
6. Chimpanzee - 16
7. The Lucky One - 10
8. Safe (2012) - 5
9. The Three Stooges - 5
10. The Raven - 2

This coming weekend "The Avengers" will confront only one new wide release, the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton collaboration "Dark Shadows." The  last film these guys made together, "Alice in Wonderland," opened with $116 million, so things could get interesting.

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