Marvel Entertainment and Disney Studios are now the biggest names in motion pictures.

In a year when the film industry was concerned about making a comeback, movies like “The Hunger Games” and now “Marvel’s The Avengers” have struck gold.

In 7 weeks of release, “The Hunger Games” has amassed a grand total of $380.8 million domestically, and now “The Avengers” has done $200.3 million domestically in just its first 3 days. “Avengers” is showing in over 75% of movie theaters around the world, and did over $300 million in foreign markets on top of what it did in North America. Put another way, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is on its way to being a billion dollar worldwide megahit, and all this even before the official start of the summer movie season on Labor Day weekend.

All the other films in this weekend’s top 10 were a distant also-ran. Second place went to “Think Like a Man” with $8 million. In third place was “The Hunger Games” with $5.7 million, followed by “The Lucky One” with $5.5 million and “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” with $5.4 million. For the balance of the box office numbers, click on the link below.

What’s behind the success of “Marvel’s The Avengers”? Several factors. A story line based on some of the most popular comic book heroes ever; the latest in technological advances, especially 3D and IMAX; a surprisingly effective mix of humor with the action and a general public anxious to escape from a world full of uncertainty and lackluster economic news.

And by the way, according to post-viewing audiences surveys, Mark Ruffalo playing The Hulk is the most popular character in the “Marvel’s The Avengers.”

Opening next week yet another film with excellent box office potential, Johnny Depp in “Dark Shadows.” Still to come later this summer “The Amazing Spider-Man,”  ”Iron Man 3″ and ”Thor 2.”

See you at the movies, folks!

http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/bo_numbers/studio_estimate/2012-05-06