(WENN) - Superhero blockbuster The Avengers has smashed U.S. box office records by becoming the first movie to break the $200 million mark in its opening weekend.

The Marvel action epic, with an all-star cast including Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth, is projected to have raked in a massive $200.3 million in its first three days of release, with $18.7 million from midnight screenings on Friday alone.

The huge take shatters the previous best box office opener, set last year by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which grossed $169 million when it hit theatres in July.

The previous top superhero movie was Batman film The Dark Knight, which now holds the third biggest opening weekend spot of all-time with $158.4 million , followed by The Hunger Games and Spider-Man 3.

The Avengers, which has now taken $641 million worldwide, easily defeated last week's most popular film at the U.S. box office - Think Like a Man paled in comparison in second place with $8 million, while The Hunger Games is third.

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