Unlike traditional Hollywood sci-fi films, The Avengers didn't rely heavily on a storyline. The movie was less about plot and more about a group of super-powered misfits coming together, learning to cooperate as a team, and then fighting an army of monsters. And in just one night, the box office numbers confirmed that this formula resonated with audiences.
At least for now, it was the perfect approach.
The Avengers pulled in $33.8 million from early screenings. Although this fell short of the $43.5 million earned by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in its midnight premiere, Marvel's heroes still proved that there was immense value in banding together to fight a common enemy. The film's stellar reviews and enthusiastic fanbase opened a new path for blockbuster films.
By Friday, North America's teenage market erupted with excitement.
Counting the advance screenings, The Avengers raked in a staggering $80.8 million in a single day, marking the first time in North American history that a movie had broken the $80 million threshold in one day.
After dropping Scarlett Johansson off and grabbing lunch, Matthew took a detour to a few popular theaters in Manhattan on his way to Kennedy Airport. Outside two theaters, long lines had already formed. The more people waiting in line, the happier Matthew felt.
Stacking dollar signs—this was a game as thrilling and addictive as any. And for private planes or luxury yachts, serious cash flow was needed.
His Disney and Apple shares weren't for sale, as they were long-term fixed assets. The real cash flow came from the film industry.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, Matthew called Robert Iger. Disney was forwarding him most updates related to The Avengers as soon as they became available.
Even with only a 40% profit share, Matthew knew that The Avengers would likely earn him as much, if not more, than The Hunger Games.
The true frenzy over The Avengers had begun.
By Saturday, The Avengers set off a viewing frenzy across America. From the morning onward, theater occupancy rates averaged over 60% nationwide, with hot spots like Santa Monica and Times Square in New York filled to bursting with fans.
Bringing so many heroes together on screen was rare, and as symbols of American pop culture, these superheroes generated a wave of fan adoration. Movie merchandise flooded the streets, and online forums buzzed with discussions.
With a lighthearted, humorous atmosphere, The Avengers brought these towering figures down to a relatable level, breaking established expectations and charming audiences of all ages.
The film's success could largely be attributed to its marketing and its role as a lighthearted popcorn flick. There was no depth or philosophical undertone here. The plot was straightforward: a villain wants to conquer Earth, heroes team up, overcome their differences, and save the world.
It was a Hollywood formula movie at its finest: flashy action scenes, snappy one-liners, a cast of handsome men and beautiful women, and a message of justice and camaraderie.
Once again, this formula had hit its mark.
That was the magic of The Avengers. It didn't pretend to be profound—it was purely entertaining.
On Saturday, The Avengers continued to perform impressively, maintaining a high attendance rate as word-of-mouth spread among audiences. With nearly 4,500 theaters screening the film, demand was still so high that AMC Theatres' ticketing system nearly crashed under the strain.
Things were looking good.
On its second day, The Avengers grossed $69.5 million, bringing its North American total to over $150 million in just two days.
On Sunday morning, Robert Iger invited Matthew to play golf in Malibu, both of them in excellent spirits.
Matthew had sensed for a while that Iger felt intense pressure regarding Marvel.
In a shareholder-driven corporation, rarely does anyone have absolute authority. Even during Michael Eisner's tenure, Disney still had internal opposition led by Roy Disney.
Iger had spearheaded Disney's acquisition of Marvel Comics in a nearly $4.3 billion deal. But aside from the continued success of Iron Man, the high-budget Thor and Captain America films had only managed to break even.
Before the release of The Avengers, the acquisition's returns hadn't yet justified the hefty price tag.
Naturally, critics emerged. Shareholders didn't care about long-term visions—they wanted returns. If a CEO couldn't generate profits for them, they weren't a good executive.
Had The Avengers failed, even with Matthew shouldering 40% of the investment risk, Iger's only option would have been to step down.
Fortunately, Iger's gamble had paid off, and Matthew Horner was poised to profit handsomely.
"Matthew, your eye for investments is remarkable," Iger said, setting down his club and accepting a towel from his caddy to wipe his brow. "I only took notice of Marvel after Iron Man came out, but you? You invested in Marvel superhero films years before Disney even considered it."
He sighed. "Who would have dared invest in Marvel back then?"
Matthew swung his club, sending the ball flying before replying, "I wasn't sure. I was just taking a gamble, and it turned out well."
Iger smiled like Mickey Mouse himself. "It wasn't luck—it was vision and skill."
Matthew watched the ball fall into a bunker, shaking his head.
Iger reassured him, "You just need more practice." He then circled back to the topic. "Vision, skill, and determination—you stand out among most of the decision-makers in this industry."
"Not as much as you're saying," Matthew replied modestly.
"You've heard this story, I'm sure," Iger continued. "Around 2000, when Sony-Columbia was preparing Spider-Man, Marvel Comics, desperate to stay afloat, offered to sell the rights to most of its famous superheroes, including the Avengers, to Sony for $25 million. But Sony's management didn't think it was worth the price…"
Matthew nodded. "If that deal had gone through, we wouldn't have The Avengers today."
At that, both he and Iger shared a laugh.
At the time, few could have foreseen the situation today. In its financial struggles, Marvel had shopped around the rights to its superheroes not just to Sony-Columbia, but to several other studios, only to find little interest in characters like Thor, Iron Man, or Captain America.
After finishing that hole, they climbed into a golf cart to head back.
"So, I hear the hottest accessory this summer is the Mockingjay pin?" Iger commented.
Matthew nodded. "It was just a suggestion; credit goes to the design and promotion teams."
With The Hunger Games still performing well, the Mockingjay pin that Katniss wore in the film had caught on with young audiences. Studio Thirteen partnered with Tiffany to launch a luxury version, along with various standard versions at more affordable prices. Over the past three weeks, more than 1.7 million pins had been sold across North America, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, generating close to $8 million in profit for the studio.
Sometimes, a seemingly ordinary movie prop could turn into a breakout hit in the merchandise world.
Despite the release of The Avengers, the different target audiences meant that The Hunger Games wasn't affected much. It earned $21.09 million that weekend, bringing its North American total to $336.6 million and surpassing $500 million globally.
Nevertheless, faced with The Avengers, The Hunger Games ceded its position atop the North American box office.
As anticipated, The Avengers claimed the top spot with a record-breaking $207.4 million.
This marked the first time in history that a movie had surpassed $200 million in its opening weekend.
And it wasn't just North America that was experiencing this box-office phenomenon.
In Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Central America, Bolivia, and 11 other countries and regions, The Avengers set new opening weekend records. In other areas, it secured the second or third highest opening weekend in history.
In just three days, a global superhero craze was born. Under its influence, The Avengers easily exceeded $500 million in its opening week worldwide.
And it wasn't just ticket sales that were booming. Dolls, toys, and licensed character merchandise were also bringing in massive revenues.
Matthew was already calculating whether this windfall would be enough to buy a private jet—and maybe even a hundred-foot yacht to go with it.
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