"Marvel's The Avengers" poised to take spot in U.S. Top 20 All-Time Highest Grossing Films by Sunday

Just a day ago I wrote about “Mavel’s the Avengers” nearing the top 75 highest grossing US films of all time as it sat at #86.  Clearly business has not lagged during the week as it’s reached #59 now with $257 million.

In doing so, it most recently topped:

#74 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – $241 million

#73 – My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $241.4 million

#72 – Twister – $241.6 million

#71 – Raiders of the Lost Ark – $242.3 million

#70- Bruce Almighty – $242.5 million

69. Cars – $244.05 million

68.  Toy Story 2 – $245 million

69.  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – $249 million

68.  Men in Black – $250 million

67.  Night at the Museum – $250.8 million

66. Batman – $251.1 million [the first really major summer comic book blockbuster.]

65.  Despicable Me – $251.5 million

64.  The Hangover, Part 2 – $254.4 million

63.  Monsters, Inc. – $255.8 million

62.  The Blind Side – $255.9 million

61. I am Legend – $256 million [first trend here is that an action Will Smith movie is good for at least $250 million]

60. Star Trek (2009) – $257 million

This is all before Friday’s haul. At this point I’d safely estimate it to reach the top 20 all time by the end of this weekend as it has little real competition, headlined by Johnny Depp’s “Dark Shadows,” a film about a vampire — not exactly the kind of movie that mothers nationwide will be clamoring to see for Mother’s Day.

“The Avengers” buzz however has been so good however, that it could be the comic book movie that mothers may want to see just to figure out what all the fuss is about.

Here’s a look at the films “Avengers” will  surpass in the next three days:

58. Jaws – $260 million

57. How the Grinch Stole Christmas – $260.03 million

56.  The Incredibles – $261. 4 million

55. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – $261.9 million

54. Shrek – $267.6 million [this marks the sixth animated film at this level, which indicates the $250 million is the average for a good, but not great animated effort so they’re a good investment for Disney, Pixar, etc.]

53. The Hangover – $277 million

52. Meet the Fockers – $279 million

51. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, part 1 – $281.2 million [wonder if they’ll be any more of this franchise further up the list…]

50. The Matrix Reloaded – $281.4 million

49. Home Alone – $285 million

48. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – $288 million

47. Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back – $290 million [my all-time favorite movie]

46. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – $291 million

45. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – $292 million

44. Inception – $292.5 million

43. Up – $292.9 million

42. The Sixth Sense – $293 million

41. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – $294 million [think Warner Bros. misses this franchise at all?]

40. New Moon – $296 million

39. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $300 million

38. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – $301.9 million

37. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – $305 million

36. Independence Day – $306 million

35. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi – $309.1 million

34. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $309.4 million

33. Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones – $310 million