I don't think this will come as a big surprise to anyone, but The Avengers brought in quite a large chunk of money last night. Looks like plenty of people were willing to stay up until 3 in the morning to be the first to catch the film. In one night the film brought in $18.7 million, making it the biggest midnight opening for a superhero flick ever and the eighth biggest midnight opening in history. Disney and Marvel have got to be jumping for joy right now.

I'm not sure how The Avengers could not make a boat load of money, actually. The marketing campaign has literally been five other blockbuster movies and the fanboys have been ravenous for this one. Add in insanely positive reviews across the board and the fact that superheroes are the hottest thing going right now and you could almost see eighth place as a disappointment (but not really). Of course the film has already grossed $300 million outside the U.S. so I think it's safe to say we've got a hit on our hands. Plus, it's on track to become the second highest grossing film ever right behind the final Harry Potter.

It'll be interesting to see if Batman, who The Avengers stole the crown from, will win it back in just a few months. 

[via Collider]