Avengers: Age of Ultron hauls in $191.3M for second-highest debut of all time

Avengers: Age of Ultron raked in $191.3 million at the domestic box office this past weekend, good for second on the list of best opening weekends ever, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The tally includes Thursday night showtimes prior to Age of Ultron's premiere on Friday, and comes from a total of 4,276 theaters in North America. Age of Ultron took in $84.5 million on Friday, second only to 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 for the biggest opening day ever.

The only film with a better debut than Age of Ultron is its predecessor, The Avengers, which pulled in $207.4 million during its opening weekend three years ago. Marvel Studios can now lay claim to the top three debuts of all time, including Iron Man 3's $174.1 million opening in May 2013.

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"The idea that you have these three titles as the highest domestic openings in the last few years is indicative of how powerful the Marvel brand is and how successful their team is," said Dave Hollis, head of distribution at Disney, in a statement to Deadline. "They have set a high bar and continue to deliver more."

The film industry was wondering if Age of Ultron's opening could surpass The Avengers' debut, but Saturday box office receipts slumped more than expected due to heavy competition from sporting events such as NHL and NBA playoff games, the Kentucky Derby, and the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight.

Age of Ultron began opening outside North America late last month, and including international box office receipts, the film has grossed $631 million in its first 12 days of release. Last month, Furious 7 set a new record for the fastest film to hit the $1 billion mark, taking only 17 days to reach that milestone. The Avengers, Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and Avatar shared the previous record at 19 days.

For more on Avengers: Age of Ultron, check out our review.