'Avengers' sequel is 2nd biggest US opener.

• Author: Bahr, Lindsey
• Position: News

Byline: LINDSEY BAHR

LOS ANGELES -- The Avengers are mighty, but not enough to beat themselves. The Marvel and Disney sequel earned a staggering $187.7 million in its debut weekend, making it the second biggest U.S. opening of all time according to Rentrak estimates Sunday.

But ''Avengers: Age of Ultron'' failed to top the all-time record of the first film's $207.4 million debut in 2012.

Although ''Ultron'' was the only new film in wide release this weekend, it had some significant small screen competition: The Kentucky Derby, the NBA playoffs, and the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight.

Numbers could shift by the time Monday actuals roll in, but it seems the robust counter-programming may have blockaded another record for Marvel and Disney.

Still, for Disney's head of distribution Dave Hollis, the weekend was a ''spectacular result'' for the film, which cost a reported $250 million to...