The summer movie season is expected to kickoff with a bang as Iron Man 2 hits U.S. and Canadian screens this week. The good news for the producers has already started flowing in. The movie has already achieved excellent box office with its advanced overseas release.
The United Kingdom led the way with $12.2 million, followed closely behind by South Korea with $10.8 Million. Overall the movie has grossed over $100 million in its opening weekend overseas. Compare this to 2008’s Iron Man which made $585 million worldwide and you can see why the producers are smiling from ear to ear. The sequel to the 2008 superhero movie is expected to gross over $120 million when it debuts in North America.
This is especially good news for Walt Disney who purchased Marvel last year for a reported $4 billion. The film once again will feature Robert Downing Jr. in his armored suit fighting villains, making snappy comments and generally making the world a safer place. Iron Man 2 will be distributed by Paramount Pictures, which is owned by Viacom Inc., due to a deal that was struck before the Disney acquisition of Marvel.
Iron Man 2 is expected to unseat the current box office leader, “Nightmare on Elm Street”, which is a remake of the classic horror series. “Nightmare” has so far grossed $32 million, ensuring that the $30 million spent on producing the movie is recovered. It also holds the record for the best opening of any horror film in the April-May period.