'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' Scores 2nd-Best Opening Weekend Of All Time

The latest blockbuster for Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures has dethroned “Furious 7” for the honors of top domestic box office opening weekend of 2015. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” drew a whopping $187.7 million during its opening weekend, handily beating the $143.6 million “Furious 7” drew over Easter weekend.

Not only did “Age of Ultron” take over the top opening weekend spot this year, its $187.7 million is the second-highest opening weekend of all time. The original “The Avengers” drew $207.4 million during its opening weekend in 2012.

2015 Box Office Competition Heating Up

With the big opening weekend by “Age of Ultron,” The Walt Disney Co DIS now lays claim to the biggest hit of 2015. Both “Furious 7″ and “50 Shades of Grey” have been big hits this year for Universal Studios and parent company Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) this year.

Related Link: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Predicted To Make $250-$500 Million Opening Weekend, Beating 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'

Living Up To The Hype?

While it would be hard for anyone to consider a $187.7 million opening weekend a disappointment, the number fell well short of the opening weekend projections of many analysts. As recently as last week, some analysts were predicting a new all-time record $220 million opening weekend for “Age of Ultron.”

It’s possible that both Saturday night’s Mayweather-Pacquiao fight and the NBA/NHL Playoffs impacted the overall box office this weekend, as “Furious 7” weekend numbers fell by 66 percent compared to the previous weekend.

Short-Lived Reign?

Although “Age of Ultron”’s opening weekend was the second-highest of all time, there’s a good chance the movie won’t even be able to hold onto the top 2015 spot. Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,″ scheduled to open in December, has a realistic chance of becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.