The Avengers are taking a page out of Hulk’s textbook, preparing to smash box office records this weekend.
“Age of Ultron” is fighting to become the top domestic box-office blockbuster ever after hitting theaters across the U.S. Thursday.
To do that, the film has to break $207.4 million — a record that was set by the first “Avengers” flick back in 2012 — by Sunday.
Many analysts think it will shatter the record, with BoxOffice.com projecting a $221 million opening weekend.
“It’s become such a substantial must-see movie,” said Phil Contrino, chief analyst of the site. “It’s crossed a barrier in most major movie markets where if you don’t see it and can’t comment on it, you just feel really left out. It’s just that integral to our culture.”
Contrino attributes part of the Marvel movies’ success to people opening up to the comic-book genre.
“It’s no longer ‘nerdy’ to like superhero movies,” he said. “It’s just considered cool.”
The films also do well because of the powerhouse franchise behind it. Since Disney acquired the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise has raked in $5 billion worldwide.
“Their strategy is really groundbreaking and you see other studios trying to mimic it now,” Contrino said. “They have these core movies like Avengers and then individual movies that feed into it.”
Overseas, “Age of Ultron” has already broken $200 million.