Box Office Report: "Avengers" could become the first film in history to earn $100 million in its sophomore session after grossing $29.1 million on Friday; Tim Burton and Johnny Depps' "Dark Shadows" soft with $9.7 million.

 

There's no curbing the superhero strength of The Avengers.

 

The Disney and Marvel Studios tentpole topped the Friday box office with a stellar $29.1 million and could become the first movie in history to earn $100 million in its second weekend. 

 

Either way, it will race past the previous second-weekend record of $75 million set by both Avatar and The Dark Knight.

 

Moreover, Avengers could hit $1 billion worldwide sometime on Sunday, matching Avatar and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in terms of speed. 

 

Through Friday, the pic's worldwide cume was $854.3 million, including a domestic haul of $299.1 million and international total of $555.2 million.

 

Internationally, Avengers has already eclipsed the three Spider-Man pics and The Dark Knight to become the most successful superhero title of all time overseas.

 

With Avengers still sucking up most of the oxygen at the multiplex, Tim Burton's latest Johnny Depp event pic Dark Shadows got off to a muted start at the domestic box office on Friday, grossing $9.7 million.

 

Warner Bros. had hoped Dark Shadows would open in the $35 million to $40 million range, but is now looking at a disappointing bow of $28 million to $30 million, putting pressure on the film to have strong legs. It remains to be seen whether a B- CinemaScore hurts the movie's playability.

 

Dark Shadows, which cost $100 million to produce, is also opening in 42 foreign markets this weekend and is doing solid business across Europe, Asia and Australia, although final numbers won't be available until Sunday.

 

hollywoodreporter.com