LOS ANGELES: “Avengers: Infinity War” took in $630 million in its first weekend, the highest global opening of all time, industry estimates showed on Sunday.
“The latest Marvel juggernaut... opened with $630M worldwide, making it the largest global weekend tally in the history of film, and this was done without China,” which has a later opening, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said.
That topped “The Fate of the Furious,” the eighth installment of the high-octane action series starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Michelle Rodriquez that opened with more than $530 million globally in 2017.
“Infinity War,” which features more than two dozen superheroes fighting to save the universe, also broke the record for highest North American opening weekend, raking in $250 million at US and Canadian box offices.
That beat “The Force Awakens,” the seventh film in the long-running “Star Wars” space saga that made $248 million in its opening weekend in 2015.
“Infinity War” is the 19th film in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), combining a whopping nine franchises and a cast list that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood’s A-list.
Robert Downey Jr dons the red and gold metal suit once again as Iron Man; Benedict Cumberbatch is Doctor Strange; Scarlett Johansson is back as Black Widow; and Australia’s Chris Hemsworth is Thor.
Also back for more? Black Panther — the Marvel breakout of the year after the massive opening of the standalone pic in February, Captain America, the Hulk, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, the Guardians of the Galaxy and their assorted allies.
Their mission? To prevent the powerful purple alien Thanos (Josh Brolin) from destroying the universe.
“We took a picture of every single person whose character has been in the MCU. We hung it up on a wall all around us,” co-director Anthony Russo, who helms the pic with his brother Joe, told reporters ahead of the film’s release.
“We basically spent months and months and months talking about where we could go with each character, how we could draw them through the story,” he added.
“Every one of these characters... has been on a very specific journey through the MCU to arrive at this moment.”
This is the third “Avengers” film, with the final, untitled saga set for next year.
An important source of inspiration is the Marvel canon — the storylines developed over decades in the original comic books.
“Infinity War” is drawn from the “Infinity Gauntlet” series of the early 1990s.
“It starts with those comics and us beginning to rip pages out or rip copies of pages out and put them on the walls and start to be inspired,” explains Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, which is owned by Disney.
“It’s a North Star for us as we lead these giant productions into reality.”
In the movie’s trailer, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) — Thanos’s daughter, of sorts — explains that the villain believes that if he annihilates half of the universe, he can save the other half.
He needs the so-called Infinity Stones to do it. So, the heroes need to keep him from getting them.
The film cost an eye-watering $300 million to make, according to Hollywood media.
Avengers opens with $630 mn, smashing global record
Avengers opens with $630 mn, smashing global record
Malika El-Maslouhi ushers in spring in Maje
DUBAI: Moroccan Italian model Malika El-Maslouhi is the embodiment of relaxed in Parisian label Maje’s Spring-Summer 2026 campaign.
The model took to Instagram to share shots from the campaign. Set against a minimalist concrete backdrop, El-Maslouhi is seen wearing a green and white striped knit cardigan paired with wide-leg, speckled denim and chunky black boots, creating a chic contrast between casual comfort and fashion-forward styling. The oversized brown leather bag slung under her arm adds a touch of understated luxury.
She captioned the post, “Spring renaissance.”
Meanwhile, El-Maslouhi ended 2025 on a strong note with a holiday campaign for the French luxury label Guerlain.
In a photo shared on the brand’s Instagram page, the 27-year-old model, who has become a favorite on international runways, wore the limited-edition Rouge G lipstick from Guerlain’s Tale of Wonders Holiday Collection in shade G 877. She was also pictured holding the lipstick alongside the matching limited-edition Rouge G Stellar case.
In August 2025, she was the face of Anthropologie’s 2026 resort-wear campaign. The line blended breezy elegance with playful details, including jewel-toned maxi dresses, sleek black knitted dresses, and form-fitting satin gowns that would be perfect for date night.
El-Maslouhi has previously starred in Anthropologie’s summer campaigns. The catwalk star was photographed posing pool and beachside in pieces from Anthropologie’s summer offering, which included ready-to-wear, swimwear and accessories.
Earlier in the year, El-Maslouhi starred in Saint Levant’s music video for the song “Exile,” directed by Algerian-French filmmaker Lyna Zerrouki. The video, which explores themes of longing, loss and hope, features El-Maslouhi against a striking blue backdrop, seemingly falling through the air.
El-Maslouhi, born in Milan to a Moroccan father and an Italian mother, began her modeling career at the age of 18. She has since appeared on runways for international fashion houses including Dior, Chanel, Valentino and Jacquemus, gracing the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris fashion weeks. Over the years, she has walked for brands such as Ulla Johnson, Prabal Gurung, David Koma, Boss, Missoni, Messika and more.
She has also featured in campaigns for brands such as Calvin Klein, Off-White and Lanvin, expanding her portfolio across both luxury and contemporary fashion.
In 2022, she was awarded the Model of the Year in Italy title.
