Highly anticipated superhero flick The Avengers is breaking records in advance of its May 4th opening. That's because the film premiered to international audiences first — earning $178.4 million in 39 international territories.

The Disney press released linked in this article gives the full country-by-country breakdown: suffice it to say The Avengers did incredibly well everywhere it opened. This was the biggest opening weekend ever in 12 regions, including Mexico, Hong Kong, and New Zealand (where it was also the biggest opening day).

There's no question The Avengers will open big in the U.S. next weekend, but these figures suggest the film's gross will be even bigger than imagined. It's looking more and more likely that Joss Whedon's superhero opus is going to put The Hunger Games' numbers to shame.

[Image via AP]