‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ is expected to have crossed the $1 billion threshold at the global box office yesterday, its 19th day in international release. This will be the fifth release from Walt Disney Studios, which made the announcement, to surpass the milestone. The sci-fi action adventure movie is also the first film for Marvel Studios to reach the $1 billion mark.

The declaration comes during ‘The Avengers’ second weekend in release in the United States. It previously broke records with a $207.4 million opening weekend, the biggest domestic debut of all time. To date, the movie has made $373.2 million in America, and $628.9 overseas.

Robert A. Iger, Disney’s Chairman and CEO, said the studio is “obviously thrilled with the global success of ‘Marvel’s The Avengers.’ It’s a fantastic movie and an extraordinary franchise that will continue with more great stories and compelling characters for years to come.”

‘Marvel’s The Avengers,’ which was given a rate A+ CinemaScore by moviegoers, has also set several domestic records. It set the all-time second weekend record with an estimated $103.2 million; the fastest film to reach $200 million, in three days; the fastest to reach $300 million, in nine days; and the highest Saturday and Sunday totals, with $69.5 million and $57 million, respectively. Its opening day total of $80.8 million is also the second-highest single-day gross of all time.

The first Marvel Studios film to be marketed and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios, ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ opened on April 25 internationally. It had the biggest opening weekend of all time in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Central America, Peru, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines and United Arab Emirates. Disney announced on Tuesday that a sequel is already in development.

Written by: Karen Benardello