WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: 'Iron Man 3' Scores Second Largest Opening Weekend Behind 'Avengers'

Summer might not technically start until late June, but for the movie industry, the first week of May has been the traditional kickoff as the movie-going masses clamor to the first must-see event of the year.

2013 is no different as for the seventh consecutive year, Marvel Studios takes full advantage of the being the first big summer blockbuster of out the gate with the highly anticipated follow-up to last summer's The Avengers.

Attempting to bring down last year's record-breaking $207 million opening weekend behemoth seemed a bit too ambitious even for Marvel, however Iron Man 3 claimed the all-time #2 spot almost one year to the day with a franchise-best $175.3 million.


#1. Iron Man 3 (NR)
$175.3 million / $175.3 million total

Like there was any doubt that Iron Man 3 wouldn't open #1 this weekend. In three short days, this three-quel is already the second highest grossing movie of 2013 domestically behind Oz the Great and Powerful. By the end of the week, not even the great wizard from Kansas will be able to stop Marvel's metal man from taking the top spot. 

#2 Pain and Gain (1)
$7.6 million / $33.9 million total

Last week's #1 is falling fast and it's no surprise. Even with the star power of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Pain and Gain will be lucky if it'll cross the $50 million mark by the end of its run. I guess Michael Bay will have to wait until next summer's Transformers 4 for the big bucks to roll in again.

#3 42 (3)
$6.2 million / $78.3 million total

After four weeks in theaters, the inspirational Jackie Robinson story continues to bring audiences in who aren't impressed by explosions and multi-million dollar budgets. 42 still has an outside chance at cracking the century mark, but the coming weeks will certainly decide that.

#4 Oblivion (2)
$5.8 million / $76 million total

Just like with 42, Oblivion might have reached $100 million in a few short weeks, but its jaw-dropping 67% decline hurts any chances of another success story for Tom Cruise.  

#5 The Croods (5)
$4.2 million / $168.7 million total

And rounding out the Top 5 again is Dreamworks' caveman road trip, The Croods. With the best week-to-week holdover in the Top 5, The Croods continues to chug along facing absolutely no competition until Epic in a couple weeks. 

Opening Next Week: The Great Gatsby, Peeples

SOURCE: Box Office Mojo