Iron Man 3 tops Avengers on opening weekend returns…

 

Well, Iron Man seems to be on everyone’s mind right now with the release of the third movie in the Marvel franchise… we at FTN adored it so much and , it seems, we aren’t alone…

Yes,  the Shane Black movie, once again starring Robert Downey Jr as Tony Strak/Iron Man, is breaking all sorts of previous Marvel movie opening weekends, including the world-conquering Avengers, or Avengers Assemble as it was called in the UK. Is it that good? Well, Avengers may top it – in my opinion –  in the shear ‘there’s nothing on, let’s watch something fun’ stakes, but yes, Iron Man 3 is pretty special…

PRESS RELEASE:

Iron Man 3 Rockets to Number 1 at the UK box office with the Biggest Opening of the Year Iron Man 3 beats Avengers Assemble International Opening

Marvel’s latest action-packed 3D adventure with the brash but brilliant Tony Stark aka Iron Man played by Robert Downey Jr, took an astounding £13.7 million at the UK box office over its 4 day opening and £11.4 million over the weekend. This opening is the biggest of 2013 smashing the previous record held by Les Miserables and has significantly exceeded the opening weekend of the last two Iron Man movies (Iron Man took in £4,799,504 and Iron Man 2 £6,750,982).

Internationally, Iron Man 3 has taken an estimated $195.3 million which has beaten The Avengers opening weekend of $185.1 million. The UK box office results were the highest of the 42 territories the film has opened in to date with major markets like the US and China open later this week.

With an all-star cast including Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sir Ben Kingsley, Rebecca Hall, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce, critics and movie-goers alike have been thrilled by the action and comedy in Iron Man 3:

‘Iron Man 3 is smart, funny and spectacular.’ 4 stars – The Guardian

‘Witty one-liners, a droll superhero and Gwyneth Paltrow beating up baddies – saving the world has never been more fun.’ 4 stars – Daily Mail

Iron Man has rocketed from the box office and across the UK demonstrating just how popular the Armoured Avenger is with fans and families alike. Junior Superheroes can learn the moves of Iron Man by attending the Marvel Training Academy in local Disney Stores across the country, or join the Marvel Super Hero Takeover running on Disney’s Club Penguin the global #1 children’s virtual world, whilst older fans can test their flying and fighting skills on the new Iron Man 3: The Official Video Game for mobile devices or enjoy the new indie/rock compilation albums Heroes Fall.

Retailers across the country have welcomed the addition of a new and exciting selection of Iron Man 3 products that have joined existing Avengers, Spider-Man and Marvel product ranges. Action figures and costumes are already proving a hit in Disney Stores and Tesco have launched their own feature-packed Stark Armoury Iron Man 3 app that customers can enjoy using in store and online.

The Marvel experience will extend throughout the summer with the second series of the hit animated show Ultimate Spider-Man set to premier on May 9th on Disney XD, followed in the autumn by the debut series of Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. leading up to the release of Thor: The Dark World, which will be released in the UK on 30 October 2013.

Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel’s iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of “Tales of Suspense” (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with “The Invincible Iron Man” (#1) in May of 1968.