By Matt Fleming. With almost three weeks before release, Deadline is already prognosticating a $200 million domestic opening for the newest adventure of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, who seek to break records while shortening the impending Age Of Ultron.
The big-time super-sequel brings back a full cast of well-paid and attractive stars, like Robert “Clean Slate” Downey, Jr., Chris “Girlfriend-Bait” Hemsworth, and Chris “He’s Hot Too” Evans, as well as introducing James Spader as a genocidal robot. The first Avengers film netted a cool $207 million on its opening weekend, so it’s safe to predict an equal or greater grab for the highly-anticipated second edition. The point is, however, that people are already predicting the second movie to do as well as the first, a feat usually reserved for sequels that are either merely Fast or decidedly Furious.
Variety notes that the film wasteland of April — a month notorious for being like the “farm” your parents sent your childhood pets to — will bring few potential hits, leaving audiences clamoring for a big box-office bonanza. It stands to reason, however, that some sleeper hits may infringe on Ultron’s cash grab, because America is filled with savvy motion-picture-lovers: April 17 sees the return of Kevin James’ crime-fighting saga, Paul Blart 2: Mall Cop 2, which looks like an exciting update of Oceans Eleven without all the good actors, quality cinematography, or physical script.
The superhero smash-up should be spaced far enough from the year’s first juggernaut, Furious 7, which scooped up $147 million domestically in its first weekend, proving that ghosts sell movies. After May 1, Ultron has two clear weeks to print money before Mad Max: Fury Road arrives to steal our fast-paced hearts. Spring has come for moviegoers, and the action-trees are blossoming.
Avengers: Age of Ultron takes all your money and will not give it back on May 1.
