Close up: Avengers everywhere

The big story Yes, we know Hulk was last week's biggie, but you just can't keep Avengers Assemble, or whatever it's called, out of the news. For a few days last month, everyone was fixated on The Hunger Games' box office – but now Avengers has exposed it for the shrimp it is by recording the largest ever opening weekend in the US . Bizarrely, initial reports even underestimated its pulling power: the studio estimate was for $200.3m (becoming the first film to break $200m for its bow), but when the final figures came in it totalled $207.4m, flattening Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2's previous high water mark in the process. In all honesty, Avengers Assemble was everywhere this week. Before, as fans got ready for the big lift off . During, when Sam Jackson (Nick Fury in the film) had a pop at New York Times critic AO Scott for dissing it, and Indian actors not liking the (very brief) Kolkata action . And after, as Disney CEO Bog Iger gratefully announced the sequel , thereby removing some of the heat from the John Carter humiliation. In the news Kick-Ass sequel to go ahead without director Matthew Vaughn Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright brew plot for World's End Harry Potter theme park to open in Japan Shia LaBeouf to bring movie critic film to Cannes OutKast's André 3000 to play Jimi Hendrix in new biopic Justin Bieber basketball drama stalled by script problems Ben Stiller film renamed to avoid Trayvon Martin link On the blog Dustin Hoffman to the rescue: which other movie stars deserve to be called heroes? Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Guidebook Adaptations ... Reel history: Goodbye Bafana Clip joint: Arguments The Expendables 2: we've all got it coming Cine-files: Rich Mix, Shoreditch, London New Dimensions to Sci Fi London Watch and listen Guardian Film Show episode 2: Silent House and American Pie: Reunion The Amazing Spider-Man trailer: good as new? How I Spent My Summer Vacation: watch the trailer The 10 best movie credit sequences Piranha 3DD: watch the trailer Further reading Tim Burton's Dark Shadows reviewed Where next for Mel Gibson? Cannes and the magic of Marilyn Monroe The Raid: how a Welsh director rocked the world of Asian action cinema Jay and Mark Duplass: 'Our movies can't lose money' The legacy of Le Quai des Brumes and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp In the paper In tomorrow's G2 Film & Music Catherine Shoard spends 30 minutes with director Alexander Payne , Joe Queenan discusses his love for Val Kilmer , and, following American Pie: Reunion and anticipating Jeff Who Lives At Home , there's a look at the trend for films featuring man-boys. In Saturday's Guide meanwhile John Patterson writes in praise of Powell and Pressburger . And finally • Follow @guardianfilm on Twitter • ... and like us on Facebook