‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Out-Selling ‘Endgame’ in Europe with Impressive Numbers

voice film logo squareArthur S. Poe
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As Marvel’s latest team-up film approaches, the industry is closely monitoring its box office performance. For years, ‘Avengers: Endgame’ has set the standard for superhero events, and every blockbuster since has been compared to it. The idea of surpassing its success has often felt like a distant dream.

This scrutiny is particularly intense for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which features Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom, with Anthony and Joe Russo directing once again. The film is set to premiere in the U.S. on December 18, raising the question of whether it can recapture the magic of the original Avengers saga.

Reports from box office trackers indicate that ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is already making waves in Europe. Early ticket sales are reportedly outpacing those of ‘Endgame’ in several countries, including Germany and Spain. This is especially noteworthy given that cinema ticket prices in Europe have risen significantly since 2019, making it even more challenging to match or exceed previous sales.

In the Netherlands, Disney reported that over 50,000 tickets were sold within just a day of sales opening, breaking the previous record set by ‘Endgame’, which sold 42,000 tickets in 24 hours. Cinemas there have even added extra screenings to accommodate the high demand.

The film is also performing well in other markets. In the U.K. and Brazil, it quickly became the fastest film to surpass $1 million in pre-release ticket sales. As of October 6, Global Box Office reported that ‘Doomsday’ has already crossed $100 million in worldwide presales.

Disney took a unique approach for this release, launching premium-format tickets on July 20 alongside the first trailer. As reported by Variety, the film generated $16.5 million on its first day across about 1,000 domestic theaters, doubling the first-day total of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, all without IMAX screenings, as ‘Dune: Part Three’ has exclusive IMAX access for three weeks.

Marvel has also introduced its premium brand, Infinity Vision, with over 70% of domestic presales going to those screens. Disney CFO Hugh Johnston confirmed that the film surpassed $50 million in domestic presales three months prior to release, making it the first film to exceed $40 million in domestic presales 100 days out.

It’s important to consider the context here. ‘Doomsday’ tickets went on sale about four months before its release, while ‘Endgame’ tickets were available for less than a month. In contrast, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’, which set the record for the biggest opening weekend at $360 million, began selling tickets only 45 days before its release.

This means that early numbers can’t be directly compared to past hits. No major blockbuster has initiated presales this early, leaving uncertainty about how well these early ticket sales will predict final results. Analysts have cautioned that presales are typically front-loaded when a film is available for months.

Nevertheless, the projections are certainly eye-catching. The Hollywood Reporter has described the film as “exploding” in long-lead tracking, with some box office analysts forecasting a domestic opening that could exceed ‘Endgame’s $357.1 million. Some even speculate about a worldwide opening surpassing $1 billion, although these figures remain unconfirmed and should be viewed as projections.

For context, ‘Endgame’ opened to a staggering $1.2 billion globally, the largest debut in history at that time. Surpassing that would require ‘Doomsday’ to attract audiences in every major territory, which makes strong European demand crucial. The film will also face competition from ‘Dune: Part Three’, which is set to release on the same day.

To maintain momentum, Marvel is re-releasing ‘Avengers: Endgame’ as ‘Endgame Encore’, which includes previews of ‘Doomsday’. Following this release, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ is set for 2027, making this release particularly significant. A strong opening could reassure a studio that has faced some inconsistent box office results in recent years.

The marketing has effectively kept Doctor Doom in the spotlight, showcasing the hooded villain in posters and a chess-themed teaser. Whether this buzz translates into record-breaking attendance will be revealed in December. For now, the early numbers from Europe indicate that Marvel may have real momentum.

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