Avengers Infinity War: Box Office Records and Viewing Order

Worldwide box office: $2.048 billion · Rotten Tomatoes score: 85% (critics), 91% (audience) · Release date: April 27, 2018 · Director: Anthony and Joe Russo

Six key facts about the film at a glance:

Is Avengers: Infinity War hit or flop?

The numbers leave no doubt. Infinity War earned $2,048,158,241 worldwide (The Numbers (box office tracker)), making it a massive commercial hit. Its domestic opening weekend of $257,698,183 (Box Office Mojo (box office data)) shattered previous records, and it crossed $1 billion faster than any film before — in just 11 days (Ultimate Pop Culture Fandom (records wiki)).

Box office performance

• Domestic total: $678,815,482 (The Numbers)
• Domestic opening weekend: $257,698,183 (Box Office Mojo)
• Production budget: $300 million (The Numbers)

Critical reception

• Rotten Tomatoes: 85% critics, 91% audience score
• IMDb rating: 8.4/10 (IMDb (film database))
• Widely praised for its villain, Thanos

The pattern: Infinity War’s performance solidified the MCU’s dominance at the box office.

Do I watch Infinity War before Endgame?

Yes — absolutely. The two films form a single story split across releases. Infinity War arrived April 27, 2018, and Endgame followed on April 26, 2019 (Wikipedia (MCU film list)). Watching them out of order would spoil major plot points.

MCU timeline order

Infinity War sits chronologically after Black Panther (2018) and before Ant-Man and the Wasp (The Numbers (MCU franchise page)). The recommended viewing sequence for Phase 3 is:

• Black Panther (February 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 2019)

The implication: watching in release order preserves narrative suspense.

Which child of Thanos is the strongest?

Thanos commands four Children — Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Cull Obsidian, and Corvus Glaive — plus his daughters Gamora and Nebula. The question is subjective, but here’s a breakdown.

Ebony Maw

The strategist. Ebony Maw uses telekinesis and manipulation, often directing the other Children in battle. His tactical mind makes him arguably the most dangerous.

Proxima Midnight

A fierce combatant with a spear that never misses. She nearly kills Vision and is a physical powerhouse.

Cull Obsidian

The brute. He relies on raw strength, wielding a chain-mace. Less intelligent but devastating in close quarters.

Corvus Glaive

Wields a glaive that can cut through anything. He is resilient but was defeated multiple times.

Gamora and Nebula

Gamora is a trained assassin with superhuman strength and reflexes, considered one of the deadliest women in the galaxy. Nebula, though often in her sister’s shadow, demonstrates incredible resilience and later becomes a key hero.

The catch: without an official ranking, any answer depends on context.

Was Avengers: Infinity War the last one?

No. Infinity War is not the final Avengers film. It is the penultimate chapter of the Infinity Saga, with Endgame serving as the direct sequel and conclusion. A new Avengers film, Doomsday, has been announced for the future.

• Infinity War ended on a cliffhanger: Thanos succeeded.
• Endgame resolved the story and closed Phase 3.
• Future Avengers movies (Doomsday) are in development.

The implication: Infinity War was a narrative pivot, not an endpoint.

Who finally killed Thanos?

Two Thanos die in the MCU — one in Infinity War and another in Endgame.

Thor’s attempt

In Infinity War, Thor strikes Thanos with Stormbreaker, wounding him fatally. However, Thanos uses the Infinity Gauntlet to snap before dying, completing his mission.

Tony Stark’s sacrifice

In Endgame, an alternate timeline Thanos attacks. Tony Stark uses the Infinity Stones to disintegrate Thanos and his army, sacrificing his own life. (Wikipedia (MCU film list) contextualizes both events in the franchise chronology.)

The consequence for viewers: Tony Stark’s sacrifice carries more emotional weight.

Timeline

• April 27, 2018: Avengers: Infinity War released (The Numbers)
• May 2018: Crosses $1 billion worldwide (Ultimate Pop Culture Fandom)
• June 2018: Ends theatrical run at $2.048 billion (The Numbers)
• April 26, 2019: Avengers: Endgame released (Wikipedia)

Clarity: confirmed vs. unclear

Confirmed facts

• Infinity War grossed $2.048 billion — a hit. (The Numbers)
• Thanos is killed by Thor in Infinity War, and Tony Stark kills alternate Thanos in Endgame. (Wikipedia (MCU film list))
• The film opened April 27, 2018 (Box Office Mojo (box office data) confirms the opening day gross).

What’s unclear

• Which child of Thanos is strongest remains subjective — no official MCU ranking.
• Chris Evans’s reasons for leaving the MCU are personal and not fully disclosed.
• The production budget is reported as $300 million by The Numbers, but other sources indicate $325–400 million.
• The “fastest to $1 billion” record (11 days) is sourced from a fan wiki and may not be definitive.

Avengers: Infinity War is one of those rare films that both satisfies longtime fans and resets expectations for a franchise. For anyone watching the MCU today, the choice is clear: watch Infinity War before Endgame, or miss half the story. For Marvel Studios, the bet paid off — $2.048 billion at the box office, a critical hit, and a villain who became iconic.

For readers interested in the full toll of Thanos’s snap, a detailed breakdown of the films emotional impact explores both the record-breaking revenue and the most devastating character losses.

Frequently asked questions