Avengers Assemble Passes $700 Million Dollar Mark

Disney has just revealed that The Avengers (aka Avengers Assemble in certain honoured territories) earned another $28.4 million at the international box office on Monday and a further $18.9 million in North America to take its box office past the $700 million mark in just 13 days.

The film’s international box office takings have now reached $475.8 million, with US and Canada earnings now at $226.4 million. That’s a massive total of $702.2 million so far. It looks increasingly likely that the film will sail past the billion dollar barrier.

Even if you take into account the higher priced tickets for IMAX and 3D screenings that’s still a phenomenal tally.

The international box office totals for previous Marvel movies were:

Iron Man 2 – $623.4 million
Iron Man – $581.7 million
Thor – $447.6 million
Captain America: The First Avenger – $368.7 million

A selection of other recent superheroes movies stack up like this:

The Dark Knight – $1.001 billion
X-Men Origins: Wolverine – $373 million
X-Men: First Class – $353.2 million
Green Hornet – $227.8 million
Green Lantern – $221.9 million
Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance – $132.5 million

So, will it be bigger than The Dark Knight? And could The Dark Knight Rises be even bigger than both? And will Marvel and DC fans be locked in neverending internet forum arguments about inflation, 3D ticket price hikes and bums on seats to prove which was the most successful? And does it matter when, in the end, we’re just getting some damned fine superheroe flicks to watch?