The victor among all heavy hitters (and all 2012 movies, for that matter) was the internationally-acclaimed Marvel team-up, The Avengers. The huge blockbuster opened to a spectacular $207.4 million in three days, a record-smashing showing. The film would then go on to gross just over three times that amount at a monster $623.4 million domestically, proving that it could have good legs. Audiences and critics loved it and international appeal was even larger. The total domestic gross was the largest since Avatar, and the third-biggest ever behind that film and Titanic (including that films' re-release). Overseas, the movie had the third-biggest worldwide launch in history at near $400 million, and it earned nearly $900 million overseas, ranking as the third-biggest film of all-time. Outliving the highest of expectations, The Avengers closed its' run in October with $1.511 billion worldwide, again, third-biggest and biggest non-James Cameron film ever. At first, it was questionable if this would beat Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II's still-mammoth $169.2 million, as analysts were thinking an opening near $150 million would be more reachable. But as I mentioned already, expectations were blown away. Due to its' gangbusters-level success, Disney has already greenlit a sequel for a release in May 2015, and Joss Whedon will return to write and direct.
Also becoming a huge blockbuster was Christopher Nolan's final movie in his Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Originally expected to trounce The Avengers, the film was unable to earn an opening weekend record due to the tragic Aurora, Colorado theater shooting during one of the movie's midnight showings. As a result, the film managed the third-largest opening ever at $160.9 million. Despite not opening as high as expected, Dark Knight Rises did edge its' predecessors $158.1 million opening. However, as some audiences feared returning to multiplexes, the finale fell far short of The Dark Knight's $520 million gross, and instead wound up with $448.1 million, which was still enough to make it the seventh-biggest movie of all-time in the U.S. It had even better results overseas, earning a massive $88 million in just 17 markets on its' international debut. By the time it eventually closed (this month), it had earned over $630 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $1.088 billion, ranking seventh on the all-time list and edging its' predecessor on that front. Being a finale, there is no word of when Batman will return to theaters. Nolan is currently producing Man of Steel.
Then there's the breakout blockbuster of the year, The Hunger Games, the latest teen-infused sensation. Somehow taking from where Twilight left off business-wise, the movie's anticipation kept on growing peaking right before its' release. As a result, a massive $152.5 million weekend, then the third-biggest of all-time, helped carry the film to four-straight weeks at #1. It also helped it to earn $408 million in the U.S. alone, ranking as the third-biggest movie of 2012 domestically behind the two superhero blockbusters. Critically-adored and loved by audiences, the movie wasn't as great overseas, earning nearly $280 million internationally. Still, at over $685 million worldwide (eighth-biggest movie of 2012 in that regard), it packed a similar punch as Twilight did, only with more domestic appeal and less international appeal. A sequel is currently in production for a release in Thanksgiving 2013, with two more installments on their way for the following two years, only without the first film's director Gary Ross.
Another surprise blockbuster, and earning way more than expected was the 23rd James Bond movie Skyfall, which is seeing rave results all over the world. Beloved by both critics and audiences, the movie started off slower than typical blockbusters, with $90 million in its' first four days. But it is well on its' way to gross nearly 3 and a half times its' opening weekend. As of Christmas Day, its' gross stood at $282.4 million, and has a small chance at reaching $300 million before it leaves. Also, its' become an international phenomenon, at over $690 million worldwide, it will likely become the first Bond movie ever to pass $1 billion worldwide (only the 14th movie in history to do so), becoming the third-biggest movie of the year worldwide. Skyfall's incredible performance is the best case scenario ever for Bond's 50-year anniversary, and its' likely we will see 007 in action for years to come (though no sequel has been announced).
I had mentioned The Hunger Games taking where Twilight left off business-wise, but The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II still had its' share of business. While not having the series-highest opening at $141.1 million, it has held on a bit better than its' predecessors, and at $282 million by far, its' on pace to finish in between Eclipse ($300 million) and New Moon ($292.5 million). Overseas, the movie has earned a franchise-best $513 million by far, and is set to close with over $800 million worldwide, ranking as the fifth or sixth-biggest movie of 2012. With the series over, the Twilight franchise has amassed $1.5 billion alone domestically and $3.5 billion worldwide. Audiences enjoyed the film, and critics, while still a bit negative, enjoyed this one the most out of all five movies.
Its' too early to predict a final gross, but while it shockingly isn't living up to its' Lord of the Rings predecessors (successors chronologically), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is still performing excellently, with its' $85 million debut nearly two weeks ago, it already has earned nearly $170 million in just 11 days. If it can get a bump over New Year's, Hobbit could find itself with $300 million domestically and at least $850 million worldwide, a massive number nonethedoubt, and in line with The Lord of the Rings movies. One downside is that critics weren't as positive to the prequel, but audiences have liked it. I have mentioned this before, but The Hobbit has two more movies that have already been close to completion, The Desolation of Smaug (set for December 2013) and There and Back Again (set for July 2014).
As the heavy-hitters focuses on domestic grosses in this article, it wouldn't be fair not to include The Amazing Spider-Man. While not living up to its' Sam Raimi-directed predecessor trilogy, this Spider-Man still had an admirable performance, opening with $137 million over the six-day 4th of July frame. Yes, The Dark Knight Rises did kill it's chances at holding well, as it closed with $262 million, or about $75 million short of the first Spider-Man. But, it did manage to take in close to $500 million overseas, bringing its' worldwide tally to over $750 million, still shy of its' predecessors, but enough to rank it in the Top 50 movies of all-time. Critics and audiences enjoyed it as well. It was successful enough that a sequel is in the works for a May 2, 2014 release, with director Marc Webb and star Andrew Garfield returning.
Some may or may not call it a heavy hitter, but Pixar's Brave (which I will get further into in an Animation section later) still did way better than expected with a $66 million opening weekend (it was expected to open at around $50 million). Brave would go on to gross over three-and-a-half times that amount at $237 million, ranking as the top-grossing animated flick from 2012 domestically. It wasn't as successful overseas, at nearly $540 million worldwide, ranking behind Ice Age: Continental Drift and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted internationally. But Brave beats those two both in critical reception, domestic ticket sales and audience reception. No sequel is planned, but Brave keeps Pixar's near-impeccable streak going.
