UPDATED MAY 6: An extraordinary $175.9m second international weekend for Iron Man 3 pushed Marvel Studios’ smash to $504.8m and $680.1m worldwide as Disney crossed the $1bn international mark in record time.

This posted not only the fastest time Disney has breached the $1bn threshold in a calendar year but the 19th consecutive year it has done so. The accomplishment sets up the studio for a giant 2013 with the likes of Pixar’s Monsters University, Johnny Depp-starrer The Lone Ranger, DisneyToon Studios’ Planes and Thor: The Dark World still to come.

Iron Man 3 also set a new IMAX record as for the first time in company history the large screen formats generated close to $30m worldwide in a single weekend. The international portion registered $13m from 267 screens, while $16.5m from 326 North American screens set the best May opening and second best North American debut in history. IMAX’s global running total stands at $40.2m.

The international weekend haul from 54 territories includes a rough estimate from China of $63.5m (CNY 395m) through DMG. Based on what Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI) executives stressed were ballpark estimates, this result is shaping up to be the biggest five-day debut, the biggest Disney/Marvel debut and the biggest opening day in history.

Iron Man 3 grossed $351.2m worldwide for a $680.1m running total after crossing $600m worldwide on its 12th day in release. The overall result was fuelled in no small part by the second biggest North American launch in history of $175.3m, which ranks only behind stablemate The Avengers.

The superhero saga has overtaken the final international box office of Amazing Spider-Man ($490m), The Dark Knight ($470m), Spider-Man ($418m) and Spider-Man 2 ($410m), having surpassed last week the final tallies of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America.

The worldwide tally means Iron Man 3 has overtaken the final global box office of Iron Man 2 ($624m), Iron Man ($585m), Thor ($449m) and Captain America ($369m).

As things stand China ranks as the lead market, followed by South Korea on $42.6m, the UK on $38.3m, Mexico on $35.8m, Brazil on $30.1m, Australia on $28.4m and France on $27.8m.

Iron Man 3 has amassed $21.7m in Russia, where it scored the third biggest opening weekend and the biggest opening day. It stands at $17.4m in Italy, $16.4m in Japan, $15.1m in Taiwan, $12.3m in the Philippines, $10.6m in Indonesia, $10.5m in Hong Kong and $10.5m in Malaysia.

Germany delivered the biggest launch of the year-to-date on $10m with a €7.6m equivalent that has already overtaken the €7m final tally of Iron Man 2.

A $6.2m haul in Thailand powered by the biggest opening day resulted in the biggest opening weekend. There were record debut weekends in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions.

Aside from the aforementioned territories there were record opening days in Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Africa and Ukraine. Iron Man 3 bursts into its final market of Poland this week.

  • UPDATE: Elsewhere, The Croods crossed $340m as Fox International said the DreamWorks Animation family release added $16.6m from 50 markets for $342.4m. The film has amassed $36.1m in China following an $8m weekend. Fox International Productions and Toei Animation’ Dragonball Z stands at $28.9m in Japan and A Good Day To Die Hard has reached $236.9m. Danny Boyle’s Trance opened in a slew of markets including Mexico on $352,920 from 235 screens and stands at $13.9m.
  • UPDATE: Oblivion added $6.2m from 61 territories through Universal Pictures International to reach $146.4m. Mama stands at $69.4m, Identity Thief $36.6m and Jurassic Park 3D $8.4m from 18 territories.
  • Paramount Pictures International reported that Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters opened in its final market of Italy on $1.6m from 380 sites as the overall $1.7m weekend haul boosted the score to $168.2m. G.I. Joe: Retaliationadded $1.2m for $237.1m. Star Trek Into Darkness arrives this week one week ahead of North America in the UK, Australia, Germany and Mexico.
  • Evil Dead added $1m from Sony Pictures Releasing International to stand at $17m. Lionsgate holds France and UK rights and released the horror remake in France on $1.1m in the first five days. The film has reached $4.9m in the UK through StudioCanal pursuant to the distribution deal with Lionsgate.
  • UPDATE: Warner Bros Pictures International reported that Jack The Giant Slayer has reached $132.2m and Gangster Squad stands at $58.1m.
  • StudioCanal reported that The Look Of Love has reached $587,000 after two weekends and The Place Beyond The Pines stands at $4.6m after four.

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