‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Breaks Global Pre-Sales Records With Historic International Starts

Avatar photoValentina Kraljik
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Marvel Studios has been working hard this year to demonstrate that the MCU can still generate event-level excitement. Few films carry this weight like ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ which brings together a massive ensemble under the direction of the Russo brothers, featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom and Chris Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers.

In an unusual move, Disney opted to test this excitement early. Premium-format tickets went on sale on July 20, significantly ahead of the usual timeline, with general advance sales starting about four months before the film’s release. In contrast, a film like ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ began selling tickets only 45 days prior to its debut.

Now, this early gamble seems to be paying off globally. Global Box Office reported on October 6 that ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has surpassed the $100 million mark in presales worldwide, following record-setting overseas presales, including becoming the fastest film to reach $1 million in pre-release sales in both Brazil and the U.K.

This worldwide figure adds to a series of presale milestones. Premium-format sales generated $16.5 million within the first 24 hours from around 1,000 theaters, and ‘Doomsday’ became the first film to exceed $40 million in domestic presales with about 100 days remaining. In comparison, ‘Brand New Day’ did not reach that milestone until approximately 40 days before its release.

In September, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston revealed at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference that domestic presales had exceeded $50 million, with over 70% allocated to Infinity Vision, Disney’s new premium large-format brand. Global Box Office later reported that the domestic total had crossed $55 million.

The overseas figures are what truly highlight this new milestone. Brazil and the U.K. are known as strong markets for Marvel, and the fact that ‘Doomsday’ became the fastest film to hit $1 million in pre-release sales in both countries indicates that demand extends beyond North America.

In the U.K., fan-site reports suggested that the film surpassed $1 million in presales within 24 hours, marking the highest first-day presale total in five years. While these fan-site claims should be approached with caution, the overall trend is difficult to overlook. The film is set to premiere in U.K. theaters on December 16, two days ahead of its December 18 release in the U.S.

Additionally, Bulgarian box office tracker Simionski reported that ‘Doomsday’ is matching the presale pace of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ at the 10-day mark, leaving ‘Dune: Part Three’ trailing behind. Both films share a December 18 release date, with ‘Dune: Part Three’ having IMAX exclusivity in the U.S. for the first three weeks.

It’s important to note that presales do not guarantee a final box office total. In the domestic market, ‘Doomsday’ is currently ahead of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ which sold $40 million in advance tickets, but still trails behind ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ which sold $60 million, and record-holder ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day,’ which reached $72 million.

Nevertheless, the strong early pace has some analysts dreaming big. World of Reel has suggested that the film could be on track for a $1 billion global opening, with reports indicating a budget nearing $400 million, making the break-even point approximately $1 billion. Whether ‘Doomsday’ can achieve this remains to be seen, but ‘Avengers: Endgame’ still holds the title of Marvel’s highest-grossing film ever, with $2.79 billion worldwide.

For a studio that has faced uneven releases and rising costs, setting a global presales record is precisely the kind of headline Marvel was aiming for. It indicates that the multi-universe collision of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ has been effectively marketed, with the Russo brothers returning to direct a film that runs 165 minutes.

The true test will arrive in December. While strong advance sales are a positive sign, they must convert into opening weekend ticket sales and, more importantly, favorable word of mouth. For now, Doctor Doom seems to be delivering just what Marvel hoped for.

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