Avengers Endgame's $200M marketing budget cost more than most blockbusters

Disney's push to publicize Avengers: Endgame was, like the MCU itself, very, very massive. How massive, you might ask? Well, according to a new report by Deadline, the family-friendly entertainment company sunk more than $200 million into the film's worldwide marketing campaign. 

Think about that for a second. A figure like $200 million or more is usually reserved for the production budgets of major Hollywood blockbusters that we might call a "sure thing." That means the feature will almost assuredly make its budget back many times over with executives hoping for $1 billion (or much higher) at the global box office. It's almost unheard of for a studio to spend so much money on mere promotion for just one movie.

Disney wants to leave no room for doubt that this film will officially kick off the summer blockbuster season. Just check out the new spot below for further proof:

To put things into even more context, Infinity War's massive marketing fund only contained $150 million. Runner-ups at Marvel Studios include: Spider-Man: Homecoming ($140M), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($80M). As you can see, there's no contest between any of these MCU films and Endgame.

Then again, this isn't just some movie. To many, this is the cinematic event of the last 10 years. We could take it even further and say Avengers: Endgame is the most epic cinematic event of the 21st Century. For the last year, fans have been eagerly waiting to see how the surviving Avengers will try and reverse what Thanos had done with the Infinity Gauntlet. In a little over a week, we'll have a definitive answer, which will conclude four precise MCU phases or what Kevin Feige calls "The Infinity Saga."

To ensure that Endgame will be seen by as many people as possible, Marvel Studios has partnered with all kinds of brands, from non-profits like Stand Up to Cancer to car manufacturers such as Audi. Just as the Avengers are coordinating one final assault to save the universe, so too is Disney "assaulting" audience members with reminders to go see the movie. This diversified portfolio of symbiotic business deals brings the marketing to all kinds of different mediums and demographics.

“As our fan universe expands with new characters and stories, so has our audience. We’ve grown beyond our target audience of traditional fanboys; now it’s millennials, it’s teens, it’s multicultural and families. We look for partnerships that honor and celebrate in each of these,” Mindy Hamilton, Disney's SVP of Partnership Marketing, said in a statement to Deadline.

In terms of ticket presales, Endgame has continued to shatter one record after another. For instance, it toppled The Force Awakens' 24-hour record in just six hours of tickets going on sale. Of course, that increased amount of traffic wreaked havoc on certain sites. In just one week, the movie topped Episode VII's first week record of presales.

Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame hits theaters next Friday, April 26.