“Avengers” shatters previous Utah box office records
Apr 29, 2019, 2:41 PM
The cast of "Avengers: Endgame" stands onstage during the world premiere event on April 23 in Los Angeles. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez, The Walt Disney Studios/Marvel Entertainment
SALT LAKE CITY — Move over, Luke and Harry. The new Avengers flick is crushing the box office – in Hollywood as well as here in Utah.
Blake Anderson, President of the 16 Megaplex Theatres in Utah, wouldn’t give up specific numbers, but confirmed the opening weekend of Avengers: Endgame was huge for the state and his company.
“It was our biggest opening of all time,” Anderson said.
That means even Star Wars and the Harry Potter franchise were overshadowed by Marvel’s latest offering.
Anderson said the feet marching in on sticky theater floors did not stop all weekend.
“They’re coming in in the thousands and tens of thousands each day,” Anderson said. “We know that more than half of the people in Utah were in our theaters this weekend. Almost 60 percent.”
Anderson said demand was crazy; as soon as a theater would sell out, the company would add later and later showings.
“We had theaters opening up at 7 a.m. — if they weren’t staying open 24 hours,” he said.
Anderson said many ticketholders attended in costume – representing every character imaginable from the franchise.
