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'The Avengers' Sets Sights on 'Avatar' & Increases Shawarma Sales
by Ethan Anderton
May 14, 2012
Source: Variety
The second weekend with The Avengers at the box office has come and gone, and just because it was Mother's Day yesterday, doesn't mean people weren't going to see some superheroes assemble (after all, Mom's can be nerds too, and if they're not, Thor and Captain America have some rippling arms to entice them). In fact, the Marvel Studios flick Hulk smashed the competition yet again to the tune of just over another $100 million to go with the film's amazing $200 million weekend opening. Now it looks like the film may break even more box office records as achievements set by Avatar are within reach. More below!
The Avengers hit pretty much everywhere else in the world before it made its way to the United States, and territories like the United Kingdom had racked up over $480 million (according to Variety) as of May 6th. From their figures of international and domestic box office towards the end of last week, it looked like the film might smash Avatar's record of reaching $1 billion in worldwide gross in four weeks, the fastest any film has hit that number. Well, if the math is right, it looks like the film just may do that as seems to have already hit $1 billion (according to Box Office Mojo). And with the earliest international release date being April 25th, that means it reached that goal in 19 days, and that's the game. Well done, Marvel.
But the box office isn't the only place where The Avengers is having an impact. For those who stuck around after the end of the credits, even longer than the teaser for a mysterious new villain, there was a special little treat. As we reported before the release, there is indeed a second credits scene, and if you don't want to know anymore, and wish to see if for yourself, then read no further. Following a couple of funny suggestions to get some shawarma from Tony Stark, the assembly of The Avengers sits in a small restaurant, exhausted and disheveled, eating the Arab assembly of meats in complete silence. It's a one shot joke, and it's worth the wait. Now TMZ (via SlashFilm) has spoken with several different fine eating establishments all across Los Angeles and they all say sales of shawarma went through the roof after the first weekend of release. I wasn't even sure what it was, and I definitely wanted some. It could be the best non-brand-specific product placement ever. Did anyone out there get some shawarma after The Avengers?
46 Comments
1
Definitely wanted a shawarma after seeing The Avengers. So delicious!
Gill on May 14, 2012
2
oh don't forget plenty of hummus with that shawarma 😉
korbindallis on May 14, 2012
4
I don't get why you in USA doesn't eat Kebab like the rest of us (Shawarma I'm guessing is the same as Kebab over here in Europe?)
Ryderup on May 14, 2012
5
Shwarma shouldn't be anything like a kebab if done correctly - the sauce alone is very special lots of tahini - a big ingredient from homous.
dom on May 14, 2012
6
If Schwarma is indeed Kebab meat then welcome to our post drinking delicacy my American friends. It's a shame we didn't get that scene over here too 🙁 I will be watching Avengers again this week 😀
Jon Chamberlain on May 14, 2012
7
Well, us vegetarians will have to do with falafel post-drinking bt yeah 🙂 (at least here in Sweden)
Ryderup on May 14, 2012
8
Shwarma is chicken, right? Kebab is lamb, right?
David Banner on May 14, 2012
9
Shawarma can either be chicken or lamb / beef. THese days there are fish shawarma in Saudi Arabia...
Lucky on May 14, 2012
10
shawarma is one of the best fast foods ever.
Hellyeah on May 14, 2012
11
I grew up eating shwarmas in Dubai - so funny to see something like that translate over to the western world. Oh and they way they pronounce it in the movie - hahaha oh dear.
dom on May 14, 2012
12
I got shawarma on a pita bread with white sauce after THE AVENGERS. Good call, Tony!
Pringles on May 14, 2012
13
are you sure it was some sauce or some white sauce from some fun guy ;P
redskulllives on May 14, 2012
14
Ooh, man. I must say, sir, your three-thousand year old high school joke just managed to slightly offend me... (That's sarcasm, by the way.)
Pringles on May 14, 2012
15
Thank you thank you ill be in your mom's mouth all day ;D
redskulllives on May 15, 2012
16
Just in case is no one gets "shawarma" part... its an middle eastern origin food... quite popular... specially the variety u can get in saudi arabia... i have American friends who lives in UAE and tried it over there, but still say the best, delicious and cheap ones are in saudi... Shawarma can either be chicken or lamb / beef. These days there are also fish shawarma (but in selected areas).... by the way , i have seen some videos on youtube were someone making them on a regular stove or oven... not sure how it will taste, but the best one are the grilled by electrical heater (it will be standing up) or coals (laying down)... The Shawarma joke / scene was a hit when i sawed it in the IMAX dubai... and yea i have eaten 5 time till now... lol..
Lucky on May 14, 2012
17
Thor's big bite at the end had everyone laughing.
Solo_Calrissian on May 14, 2012
18
I loves me some Shawarma, but it was game over when I tried Shish tawook (chkn Shawarma marinated in Garlic & Lemon juice).
Solo_Calrissian on May 14, 2012
19
Also known as Shoarma in The Netherlands. Very popular!! Especially after some beers and club hopping 😉
ANT on May 14, 2012
20
So everybody overhere was laughing when Tony Stark made that comment during the movie. I think most Dutch even prefer shoarma over pizza/burgers. And the most favourite sauce with it...garlic sauce (could be different from the garlic sauce in the US).
ANT on May 14, 2012
21
No where near me was there a place for Shawarma, so I had a gyro, close enough.
Brian Sleider on May 14, 2012
22
sadly gyro's do not compare. :((
Gyroface on May 14, 2012
23
The secret villain was Thanos...apparently.
Xerxexx on May 14, 2012
24
i swear that sounds more like a cocktail than a villain.....
Jericho on May 14, 2012
25
Sam jackson: "IT'LL GET YOU DRUNK!!"
Solo_Calrissian on May 14, 2012
26
LMAO!! Yes they deserved to die! And I hope they burn in hell!
Boss Jones on May 15, 2012
27
i'm from the Netherlands -venlo and my age is 43 when i was about the age of 6/7 ...i stayed up late in the weekends..waiting till my mom and dad came home ...late ..after a night on the town...they always took home "een broodje shoarma (schwarma) with sauce...!!!!" more than 30 years ...it's a great midnight snack... check out the dutch comedian hans teeuwen ..he has a great peace of stand up comedy about "een broodje shoarma".....
Michel on May 14, 2012
28
This movie doesn't deserve to come anywhere near Avatar in the box office. It honestly wasn't that good. It was pretty much Transformers except with superheroes instead of huge robots.
James on May 14, 2012
29
Avatar was a technical achievement but that was all. The Avengers might not be Citizen Cain but at least all the characters were fully realized. Plus The Avengers is just a fun movie and so many now a days just aren't.
Jim on May 14, 2012
30
AVENGERS >>> avatar
redskulllives on May 14, 2012
31
I understand you're seriously comparing that white savior/Pocahontas rehash claptrap to the Avengers. But please. (The Avengers didn't make me feel filthy after watching it. Plus lead female character who wasn't there to have sex with people!)
Callie_K on May 14, 2012
32
Those didn't even look like shwarma's. I've eaten them in Qatar, UAE and knew a good shawarma shop in CA...none of them were on pita bread like the ones in the movie. The heroes didn't even enjoy eating them if you ask me. Looks like they were eating them just to refuel after a huge battle. lol
Boss Jones on May 14, 2012
33
I got to experience shwarma = doner kebab in germany when I lived there for 3 years recently. mmmm mmmmmmm good. Totally awesome with lamb! Some places arn't as good as others. In New Zealand I got a few of them too and they were mmm mmmmm good. In the states.. I don't think they have them except for LA and NYC and a few other major cities.
Kebabeats on May 14, 2012
34
Just watched The Avengers this evening... My God, what is wrong with people, this movie sucked ass! SHIELD's flying spaceship thingy was absolutely ridiculous. The first hour of the movie never got going, was waiting for the movie to start. If Hulk could control his rage, like we saw near the climax, then why did he decide to attack Black Widow earlier? Made absolutely no sense, besides the fact that he was destroying the retarded flying ship and would have known he was putting everyone in danger!! Loki was great but that's about it in my opinion. These characters are fascinating, but not as an ensemble... oh and I wasn't sure if I was watching Transformers Dark of the Moon by the end! Horse shit! Hope The Dark Knight Rises and Prometheus will save the summer... Oh and at least we have a new Tarantino flick this year! 😀
Kinks! on May 14, 2012
35
lol
Noob_smasher on May 14, 2012
36
Nothing to see here folks. Don't feed the hipster troll.
Chris Amaya on May 14, 2012
37
the hulk was attacking the black widow because he was being affected by loki's powers.. a sort of mind control .. and the hellicarrier was badass! best movie ever!
Thumpa47 on May 14, 2012
38
So I take it this guy is a Michale Bay fan then , hahahhaha what a joke hahahaaa
redskulllives on May 14, 2012
39
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Kinks, the Helicarrier is SHIELD's main base of ops...it's not a 'flying spaceship thingy'. lol This will probly be one of the best summer movie seasons we've had in a long time because of how The Avenger's kicked it off.
Boss Jones on May 15, 2012
40
It won't come close to Avatar...not with the Dark Knight and Prometheus to steal people's interest...released at the wrong time of year
Geoffrey Shauger on May 14, 2012
41
I got some a few days ago. It was quite delicious. I saw that bit on TMZ and those assholes didn't even put spoiler alert when they talked about it until after they talked about the scene. If I hadn't already seen the movie, I would have been pissed lol.
Chris Amaya on May 14, 2012
42
Nice bootleg screencap on TMZ too.
Max Renn on May 14, 2012
43
What the hell is a... Oh, a doner kebab.
Max Renn on May 14, 2012
44
ask any arab, an american roll is the best snack.
bunnybear on May 15, 2012
45
It's great how consumer behavior is affected by curiosity. If Ironman wants to eat it, we need to go check it out!
Marc Callado on May 15, 2012
46
In Australia there are plenty of 'Kebab' places, but you will never see it listed as Shawarma.. Anyway two days after seeing the movie i was out with friends and told them about the movie and this extra scene.. we were then on a mission to get Shawarma. We jump in a taxi, and end up at the lights close to home. We see a place that looks like the ticket, so we get out, go in .. and there listed on the menu, is Chicken Shawarma.. I was flippin.
zedg on May 17, 2012
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