‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Debuts to $27.6 Million Thursday Night

Joss Whedon's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" had a massive Thursday night opening, bringing in $27.6 million in the U.S.

The sequel to "The Avengers" is projected to gross between $210 million and $224 million in this weekend's box office. Its predecessor brought in $18.7 million in its first night opening and grossed $207 million in its opening weekend back in 2012.

According to Rentrak, reported by the Wall Street Journal, "Avengers: Age of Ultron's" pre-opening was the sixth biggest one in history after other franchise movies, such as "Twilight" and "Harry Potter." "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" currently holds the record with its $43.5 million midnight opening.

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" could also break the U.S. record for biggest opening weekend and it looks like it is well on its way.

So far, the movie has made a whopping $287 million both domestically and internationally.

The second installment brought back Robert Downey Jr. as Ironman, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill. The film welcomed new comers Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver and James Spader who voiced Ultron.