The Avengers Smashes Opening Weekend Record

See that little wizard over there, Hulk? SMASH! Josh Whedon's Disney

-produced superhero movie

has smashed the opening weekend box office record previously held by

of $169.2 million, and brought in an incredible $200.3 million. The movie, which brings together some of Marvel Comic's biggest names including Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Iron Man and Hawkeye, raked in $80.5 million on Friday, $69.7 million on Saturday and $50.1 million on Sunday. The Saturday figure is a new record for that day also. In addition,

. The slow-build surrounding the movie has been perfectly executed, starting back in 2008 when both the

and

movies featured teaser scenes after the credits, both staring Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury as he looked to assemble an Avengers team. 2010's

and last year's

and

continued along those same lines. So, by the time the movie was eventually released this last weekend, the anticipation had reached fever-pitch. The chatter threatened to fill up the internet, and people are already discussing the next movie (which new characters will be introduced seem to be a dominant theme). It doesn't hurt that the vast majority of the reviews have been positive. Very few people have had anything bad to say about it, beyond the typical cries of "do we need another superhero movie?" The answer, according to the American public, is a resounding yes. How the forthcoming

,

and

The Avengers

is pretty much five superhero movies in one. "There aren't even words, to be honest. I'm running low on double takes. Every time we looked at a number, it just got bigger than what we could have hoped for in the best-case assumption," said Dave Hollis, Disney's head of distribution. "With this film, this weekend, anything is possible." To put it in perspective, the

brought in $5.7 million in this weekend. Surprisingly,

sits above that with $8 million.

brought in $1.8 million.

' $200.3 million dwarfs all of those, albeit on the opening weekend. Viacom

and Paramount will be delighted as they have a share, though the numbers are being considered a great thing for the industry as a whole. The Avengers has just redefined what it means to have a blockbuster movie. If you haven't seen it yet, Assemble.