I don't really do this on this blog, as I don't equate high box office receipts with the quality and overall value of a film. But in this case, it is really unique. The Avengers broke the domestic box office opening weekend record this weekend with a projected haul north of $200 million. The record was previously held by "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2" at around $179 million. Combine the amount made domestically and that already made overseas (The Avengers was released in most overseas markets over a week ago) and the film has already grossed almost half a billion dollars. And yes that is billion with a B!
The reason this is significant and I felt the need to comment on it is that The Avengers is a unique film. It is not unique in being a superhero movie and I don't feel it is particular unique for being a team up film either. Rather, it is unique in relation to the process and road that was taken to get to this point. You see Marvel Studios took a large risk when they mapped out how they were going to approach not only their individual properties, but also the behemoth on the horizon in The Avengers.
Marvel set out to tell quality stories with all of their individual characters (and I think for the most part they were successful) and at the same time weave characters and story lines into each film that would lead into an eventual Avengers film. This sort of thing had never been done before. Most comic book movies stuck to their individual worlds and stock characters and never ventured to reference or directly include characters from the broader universe.
An example would be if Christopher Nolan decided to have his Bruce Wayne visit Metropolis and while there meet a reporter by the name of Clark Kent. Or if Brian Singer had his Clark Kent see on the television reports of a man who could run superfast (The Flash for those unaware). Marvel did that in all of their films. Tony Stark showed up at the end of the Incredible Hulk, Nick Fury was in nearly all of the films in the series (most prominently Iron Man 2), Howard Stark (Tony's pop) was in Captain America and was a part of the project that created super soldier Steve Rogers. Anyway, you see the point.
Coming back to my original point, The Avengers being such a large success is important as it vindicates Marvel for the unique path they took. In Hollywood, something is not a success unless it is a financial one. With The Avengers being such a massive one, it shows Hollywood (i.e. the studios) that "The Marvel Model" can work. It makes long term story telling and universe building a legitimate approach to superhero films set in the same collective universe. It also frees up Marvel to do as they please with their characters in the future without too much interference from the big chiefs at Disney.
I would not be terribly surprised to see Warner Brothers finally get going on the long delayed Justice League film. My hope is that they look to what Marvel did and really take their time to build to a team up film with the DC universe characters they own. I do not want to see them rush and just slap something together just to make a money grab piggy backing on The Avengers success. Being a huge DC fan, I would love nothing more than for there to be a quality film with Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and The Flash to be in together. But it must be done right, Warner Bros. Take your time and plan well.
Overall, I am glad this film was such a surprisingly large success. Of course it was a foregone conclusion that it would be a massive success, but to have such a large haul on its opening weekend surprised all. Good for Marvel, good for Joss Whedon, and most of all good for all who saw the film and thereby making it such a success. This may launch a new era for superhero films and I for one welcome it, if done with the same level of care and planning as Marvel did here.
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