"Avengers: Age of Ultron" is scheduled to hit U.S. theaters on May 1 but it is already launching in the international market. It has begun showing in Italy and France and will soon be released in Brazil, Russia, Argentina, Germany, South Korea, and the U.K. With the current release schedule, "Avengers: Age of Ultron" will complete 55 percent of its international release before the weekend is over.
According to a report from Variety, the film is aiming at an international debut of $175 million. Analysts state that the film still has to compete with the first "Avengers" film that garnered a total of $185 million during its international debut, as well as with the likes of "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Fast and Furious 7," and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."
The reason why "Avengers: Age of Ultron" is gaining a lower international debut is due to the currency issues. A strong dollar rate and a relatively low Euro is expected to bring the total weekend box office a little down. This was cited as the same uphill battle that "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" had to face, explaining why it gained less than the previous two "Hobbit" films.
Despite this, Deadline reports that there is still a chance the film may hit over $185 million because of IMAX releases in the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, France, and Russia. Most of these IMAX theaters will also show the film in 3D, potentially raising the box office by default due to higher ticket prices.
According to Variety, the film is estimated to make over $200 million at the domestic box office in the United States, with the hope that it may earn over the $207.4 million that the first "Avengers" film made. The film has almost no competition at the box office as it opens against the romantic drama "Age of Adaline" and the war drama "Little Boy."
