Iron Man 3 Grabs $195M Global Win

Iron Man 3 hasn't even opened in the United States yet, but its global premiere got off to a thunderous $195.3 million start this weekend—even trouncing the $185.1 million mark set by last year's The Avengers, reports the Hollywood Reporter. That bodes well ahead of its American premiere on Friday, underscoring its chances of unseating The Avengers' record $207.4 million domestic opening. "To say we are beyond encouraged is an understatement," says a studio exec. This weekend's domestic numbers were much more modest, adds the AP: Mark Wahlberg's Pain & Gain posted a $20 million debut for the No. 1 spot, while Tom Cruise's Oblivion dropped to No. 2 with $17.4 million. (More Iron Man 3 stories.)