‘Iron Man 3’ Close To Hitting $1 Billion Worldwide

Iron Man 3 is dangerously close to crossing the $1 billion threshold. Somewhere in Hollywood, a lot of celebrating is taking place.

It’s no secret that director and co-writer Shane Black’s sequel has been a hit at the box office. The movie has made a considerable amount of money since debuting in North American theaters on May 6. Given it’s performance last weekend, it still stands to earn quite a bit more.

According to the numbers posted at Box Office Mojo, Iron Man 3 has made approximately $294 million as of May 14. The sequel has also fared extremely well overseas; Black’s follow-up has amassed a whopping $685 in receipts. That puts its worldwide total at around $980 million.

Many analysts believed that Iron Man 3 would hit the $1 billion mark today (May 16).

The third entry in the franchise has enjoyed a bit more success than Iron Man 2. Director Jon Favreau’s sequel received a lukewarm reception from fans and critics alike. By the time it left theaters in the US, the film had made around $312 million. Worldwide, the flick stalled at $623 million.

The success of Iron Man 3 suggests that moviegoers haven’t tired of the superhero genre just yet. This is definitely a very good thing, especially considering how many other like-minded flicks are currently on-deck. Marvel has a few projects in the works, including The Avengers 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy.

A number of action movies have crossed the $1 billion mark over the past few years. The list includes a pair of Pirates of the Caribbean movies, two films about Hobbits, and a recent James Bond adventure. Director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises also hit the milestone.

While Iron Man 3 performed well last weekend, it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness.

Are you surprised that Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 is close to officially crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide?