MUMBAI: The third installment in Marvel’s Iron Man series is breaking records in many markets as reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

The Robert Downey Jr starrer has continued to give a strong performance since Thursday when it opened in supplementary foreign markets, grossing $23.3 million to bump its two-day international total to an astounding $36.5 million.

The Disney  and Marvel Studios tent-pole, returning Downey in the title role, is racing ahead of Iron Man 2 in many international markets, prompting box-office observers to speculate that the ‘threequel‘ is benefiting mightily from last year‘s mega blockbuster The Avengers, which starred Downey‘s character along with other Marvel superheroes.

Iron Man 3 is opening internationally a week ahead of its North American debut on 3 May, similar to Iron Man 2, which posted a foreign opening of about $100 million in 2010. Pundits expect Iron Man 3 to post a foreign opening north of $110 million.

The superhero franchise rolled out in a dozen countries on Wednesday, making $13.2 million. On Thursday, it opened in another raft of markets. In Korea, the movie opened to $3 million -- the third-biggest opening of all time behind the final Pirates of the Caribbean movie and the third Transformers.

Iron Man 3 opened to $3.6 million in the UK, just 9 per cent behind Avengers. while in Argentina, it opened to $700,000, the second-biggest debut of all time behind the final Harry Potter movie.

By Sunday, the threequel will be playing in 80 per cent of the international marketplace, minus the U.S., China and Russia. Disney said on Friday that the Chinese release date has been shifted from 3 May to 1 May.