In short, IRON MAN 2 did well. Really, really, really well.

With the widest domestic opening, ever, it played on 4,380 screens and drummed up $133.6 million in the great U S of A, alone. Internationally, it’s grossed close to $194 million, bringing its worldwide total to something  around $327.6 million. To put that in perspective… the first movie made only $585.1 million worldwide throughout its entire release life. These figures are coming in after it’s only been out for about a week. Needless, the “Mark 2” is proving a lot more expedient at making money than the “Mark 1.”

So how does this rack up against other blockbuster releases of the past? Let’s phrase it in the terms of a battle thread. Shellhead trounced Anakin Skywalker and that big friendly ogre, Shrek. He was defeated by Batman, Spidey and all those emo vampires, and he just barely lost to Cap’n Jack Sparrow. That is to say, IRON MAN 2’s opening was bigger than REVENGE OF THE SITH and SHREK THE THIRD, just behind DEAD MAN’S CHEST and a ways below NEW MOON, SPIDER-MAN 3 and THE DARK KNIGHT.  

I’m not as adept at mathin’ as G-Man, so if you want to know precisely how all the beans were counted and what percentages they broke down to (adjusting for inflation, of course)... if you REALLY want to go through all of that, by all means check out Boxoffice Mojo and Deadline’s write-ups of these grosses.

Seeing as how as IM2 cost about $180 million to make, I’m pretty confident it’s going to prove to be a money maker for Marvel, even if you factor in the likely-absurd marketing budget. If the movie were a person, he’d be looking forward to living a Tony Stark-style lifestyle of the rich and famous.
== TEASER ==

ALSO - - speaking of money and all that it can buy, I suppose it figures that Jon Favreau's got his heart set on ten special rings for a possible IRON MAN 3. That's because he really, really wants to have the Mandarin finally show up, after the villain's only be hinted at in these first two movies. The rub, as he's told MTV, is finding a way to reconcile the Mandarin's 10 Rings of magic with the Iron Man movie's more tech based world - - something that'll be further complicated by the introduction of THOR's Viking mythology. I don't suppose it's really THAT hard to pull off, and it's not even without precedent, either. Look at the Busiek/ Chen run on IRON MAN. They revamped Marvel's favorite Chinese sorcerer with a technological bent pretty well, didn't they?

-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Pre-order the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover now on Amazon.com.

To be honest, not that it's doing even remotely bad...but when you account that it opened in so many more theaters than even all prior blockbusters, I expected it to do better. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like every year anymore there's a new blockbusters that becomes “biggest movie ever” for a limited time. Funny how this one didn’t! Of course, when you account for inflation, none of today’s blockbusters are tops. I think Gone With the Wind and the original Star Wars are still the genuine top money making films of all-time.    

THe movie was awesome!No surprise it made so much money!

Whats the number 1 movie? is it Avatar?

" Whats the number 1 movie? is it Avatar? "

I thought that the first Iron Man would've made a little bit more money. Obviously I was wrong/ 
I always knew the Dark Knight would be the King of Comic Book Films.

A lot of money...

I'm seeing it again this week

 I got hit for $17 going ot the IMAX theatre to see it… so I’m NOT surprised!!! Oh and I’m probably gonna see it again!!! 

This movie was quite possibly one of the best superhero movies I've ever seen. I bet almost all theatres in the US were totally packed when this came out. God knows my theatre was.

saw it twice on opening day, and saw it again yesterday. IM CONTRIBUTING XD!!!

"

 

I thought that the first would've made a little bit more money. Obviously I was wrong/ 
I always knew would be the King of Comic Book Films.

"

I had an idea for the Mandarin,
He is a terrorist leader of the 10 Rings.  He sends high tech thieves and assassins to steal tech from others and has them destroy the tech so that he becomes the only one with that technology.  At first it seems like the 10 Rings is just destroying all technology and the Mandarin is anti Tech.  The 10 Rings targets Tony Stark, and gets his attention.  The Ghost can be sent after him.  Then the assassins Madam Mask and Blizzard, or the Melter.
The 10 Rings is like a super high tech group from the future with the combination of so much tech they seem almost mystical and has ultimate power.
In the Iron Man fights the Mandarin, who seems like just a normal human.  No armor.  While Tony Stark has his armor.  But because of the combined might of all the tech the 10 Rings has stolen he seems super human or magical.
 
This idea could incorporate the Armor Wars story as well as the Mandarin story, and maybe some others.
Just an idea.  I am sure whatever they do will be cool.

ive seen it twice 
seeing it again when exams are over

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 I got hit for $17 going ot the IMAX theatre to see it… so I’m NOT surprised!!! Oh and I’m probably gonna see it again!!! 

"

One of my biggest issues when people talk about the amount a movie takes in. They always talk about the gross profits. They never talk about the real heart of the matter when it comes to the real numbers in the NET profits. Most actors, directors, and producers get paid by a percentage of the gross. The net is what you have left over after everyone and everything has pecked at that carcass.
 
Consider this. The movie Forrest Gump had an estimated budget of about 55 million to make. After about a year it grossed over 660 million, but by all official estimates. The movie at that point was still 60 million in the red.

I would like the matchup of magic vs technology and see Fin Fan Foom as a giant dragon (real or man made)  in a long battle.

It's impressive that its raking in this amount of money these days even without the £3 extra for (stupid) 3D. BoxOfficeMojo has a great break down on the financial aspects of how a movie does.
 
 http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=ironman2.htm

" One of my biggest issues when people talk about the amount a movie takes in. They always talk about the gross profits. They never talk about the real heart of the matter when it comes to the real numbers in the NET profits.

Considering this is technically Marvel Studios only 3rd film.....
 
That is a HUGE SUCCESS!

 
It's made more money than a lot of the other big companies that have been around longer like WB.