Avengers: Infinity War pre-sale numbers are already Hulk-sized, having sold out over 1,000 showtimes. Infinity War represents the climax of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that began way back in 2008 with Robert Downey Jr. suiting up for Iron-Man. Ten years worth of movies and two Avengers team-ups later and Marvel Studios is finally ready to unleash Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet, an arc that was teased as early as 2011's Thor. With Thanos heading to Earth to complete his collection of Infinity Stones, characters from across the MCU will unite in order to stop him, bringing together the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy and newer faces such as Doctor Strange and Spider-Man.

The MCU movies have a history of strong performance at the box office and their most recent offering, Black Panther, continued that streak with aplomb. Since Infinity War is the biggest, most hero-packed movie in the franchise yet, it perhaps isn't too surprising that the early signs are indicating huge financial success for the crossover. Most notably, ticket pre-sales are outselling the past seven Marvel movies combined. This will no doubt be a huge relief for Kevin Feige and co., as Infinity War is reportedly the second most expensive movie ever produced.

However, there is more good news for Marvel Studios as the release of Avengers: Infinity War looms ever closer. According to Fandango (via CNN), over 1,000 showings of the movie have already sold out in pre-sales alone, with a few days still remaining for fans to book in advance. This has led to theaters posting more and more screenings in order to keep up with demand, with some set for the early hours of the morning - news that will surely come as a delight to theater staff.

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man Tony Stark in Avengers Infinity War

If Infinity War's financial success wasn't a certainly before, the pre-sale numbers are more or less guaranteeing another huge hit for Marvel. The question isn't so much whether Infinity War will be a smash at the box office but how many records it'll break during its run. The Avengers face stiff competition in those stakes from the likes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avatar and the first Avengers movie directed by Joss Whedon but with a decade's worth of build-up, it's impossible to discount anything.

Of course, financial success is only half of how Avengers: Infinity War will ultimately be judged, with critical and fan reaction just as, if not more, important. The incredible amount of hype and anticipation surrounding the movie, as well as the promising early numbers, has created an immense sense of expectation among both Marvel superfans and casual movie-goers, both of whom are expecting a superhero movie more grandiose and mind-blowing than ever before with surprises and twists aplenty. The expectations may be high, but if any franchise can meet them, it's the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

More: Chris Evans: Captain America Is Dangerous In Infinity War

Source: CNN

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