Walt Disney has scored a major film hit as Iron Man 3 recorded the second-highest US opening weekend box-office sales ever, and also benefited from booming sales in China.
Iron Man 3, the latest blockbuster from Disney’s Marvel division, grossed an estimated $175.3m in the US and Canada during its first days in release. The only film to do better was the company’s Avengers film last year, which also featured Robert Downey Jr in the role of Iron Man and grossed $207.4m.
The film has also raked in $504.8m in overseas sales, meaning its combined sales of more than $680m already put it ahead of final global box-office sales for Iron Man 2.