“Avengers: Endgame” got off to an epic start at the box office in China, earning $28.2 million at midnight on Tuesday. Disney is estimating that at 10:50 p.m. local time, Marvel’s blockbuster is on pace for a $107.2 million (RMB 719M) estimated opening, which combines the midnight total with Wednesday’s approximate $79 million total.
The total crushes the $9.1 million from the midnight screening numbers set by “Furious 8.” And it would be by far the highest ever opening night in China box office history, passing the opening day for local release “Monster Hunt 2” ($85 million/RMB 547M).
By 8:40 p.m. local time in China, “Endgame” had crossed $74.3 million according to China Box Office, and tallies just keep climbing. “Endgame” also earned a reported $90 million in presale totals.
“Endgame” has the potential to cross $1 billion at the global box office in its first weekend, but it would require record openings in all territories. The film’s predecessor, “Avengers: Infinity War,” reached $830 million globally on the back of a $190 million opening in China after its first full week.
“Endgame” was projected for a $250 million Chinese opening, but this strong start now pushes that figure closer to $300 million, which would make a $1 billion-plus opening very likely if that figure is matched in North America this weekend. What is most surprising about this performance is that “Endgame” was released on a work day in China, while “Monster Hunt 2” set the previous opening record during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Word of mouth in China has also reached unprecedented levels. On ticketing website Maoyan, the film has a score of 9.3/10, the highest ever for a Marvel movie. Such strong reception has been matched in the U.S., where “Endgame” has a “Certified Fresh” rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.