Early estimates say 'Avengers: Endgame' could shatter the opening weekend box office record

Marvel Studios

"Avengers: Endgame"

• "Avengers: Endgame" is rocketing toward a record opening weekend at the box office of at least $280 million, according to early estimates.
• Exhibitor Relations senior box-office analyst Jeff Bock wonders if "Endgame" could even reach $300 million.
• "The week before its release is the calm before the cinematic storm," Bock said.

A storm is brewing, and it could destroy the box-office record when it hits in April.

Marvel's "Avengers: Endgame" could reach at least $280 million at the box office in its opening weekend, according to early estimates.

"Is $300M even possible?," Exhibitor Relations senior box-office analyst Jeff Bock told Business Insider. "That's what a lot of people are wondering and we may find out, as 'Endgame' looks headed towards a mind boggling $280M debut."

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Bock compared it to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," which grossed $169 million in its opening weekend in 2011, $44 million more than "Part 1" did the year before. "Endgame" faces a similar scenario, since its predecessor, "Avengers: Infinity War," ended on a massive cliffhanger last year.

"Infinity War" holds the record for the biggest opening weekend with $258 million. Bock said a "perfect storm" leading into "Endgame's" debut could push it past that number.

"The week before its release is the calm before the cinematic storm, that will only build momentum to a crescendo," Bock said.

"Shazam!" hits theaters on April 5, and "Hellboy" follows a week later on April 12. The week after that sees no major release, and then "Endgame" opens April 26, giving it the freedom to blow up the box office.

In their long-range forecast on Friday, BoxOffice.com analysts positioned the movie's opening between $250 million and $290 million (early tracking puts it around $265 million).

"The curiosity surrounding its resolution and the fate of many beloved characters will result in high awareness, intent to see, and desire to not have 'Endgame' spoiled," analyst Shawn Robbins wrote.

The movie is also tracking a "consistently higher level of Twitter and Facebook activity" than "Infinity War," according to Robbins.

BoxOfficeAnalyst.com's Doug Stone is more cautious about "Endgame's" early numbers, but still predicts a massive first weekend.

"We are expecting huge numbers," Stone told Business Insider. "People have been throwing out numbers in the record opening range ... I imagine we're looking at 250+."

If "Endgame" breaks the opening weekend record, its next goal will be the $2.05 billion "Infinity War" ultimately grossed worldwide.