Iron Man beats Batman for 2nd on superhero charts

Iron Man 3. Photo/supplied

Iron Man 3 has become the second most successful superhero movie of all time after zooming past US$1 billion in global ticket sales

Only fellow Marvel project The Avengers, which also starred Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, has grossed more around the world.

Batman film The Dark Knight is in third place.

It seems the only thing that may overshadow Iron Man 3 is Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, which opens in New Zealand on June 6.

Luhrmann's films have traditionally done well in the Sydneysider's homeland.

His film Australia, which starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, became the second most successful film in Australian history when it released in 2008.

It is surpassed only by 1986's Crocodile Dundee, which took in A$47.707 million.

Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge of 2001 appears fifth on the list of Australia's all-time box office hits, raking in A$27.734 million.

- WENN