Avengers: Endgame may break another domestic box office record during its second weekend. The film, which ends the sprawling 11-year, 22-movie Infinity Saga, somehow managed to exceed commercial expectations in its debut. While it was always projected to set some new all-time marks, few could have predicted just how gigantic a haul it would have. Endgame pulled off a feat nobody thought was possible, grossing a staggering $1.2 billion in its first weekend. Approximately $350 million of that came from North American screenings, which was also a record.
Because Endgame is on a completely different level compared to other tentpoles, it makes predicting its future box office performance somewhat difficult. Highly-anticipated franchise installments tend to be front-loaded (due to pent-up eagerness for opening weekend to arrive), meaning there's usually a bit of a drop-off as the run continues. And while Endgame surely won't make another $1 billion this coming weekend, its debut was large enough that it should have a chance to set another noteworthy record.
According to Box Office Pro, Endgame is projected to earn about $152.6 million this weekend, which would narrowly top Star Wars: The Force Awakens' all-time second weekend record of $149.2 million. Analysts expect Endgame to have made around $623.7 million domestically by Sunday, surpassing the original Avengers as the seventh highest-grossing movie of all-time.
Being the biggest blockbuster event of a generation ensures Endgame will repeat as weekend champion, but it's also not facing much in the way of direct competition. This weekend's newcomers, a trio featuring UglyDolls, The Intruder, and Long Shot, are all geared as counter-programming options for very specific demographics and have no larger ambitions of dethroning the Marvel machine. Endgame is still the top choice for most of the moviegoing public; even though a substantial portion of the population saw it last week (some movies make $1.2 billion for their entire worldwide run), there will be those returning for repeat viewings and others going for the first time now that the crowds have (somewhat) died down.
It's been said before, but it's nevertheless incredible the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which was built on a foundation of arguably second-tier comic book characters) got to the point where it - not Star Wars or James Cameron - was posting box office numbers that likely will never be topped. Records are made to be broken, but the MCU is a special case where there wasn't anything like it before and there probably won't be anything like it again. The franchise, particularly Endgame, is in a league of its own and it's not done rewriting the history books just yet.
Source: Box Office Pro
