‘Dark Knight Rises’ earns US$160.8 million in debut
Cassandra Cain, dressed in a Batgirl costume displays her tickets to an evening screening of the film ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ at the AMC theatres in Burbank, California in this July 20, 2012 file photo. — Reuters picLOS ANGELES, July 24 — Warner Bros said yesterday “The Dark Knight Rises” took in US$160.8 (RM511 million) at US and Canadian box offices over the weekend, which is lower than industry estimates for the debut that felt the impact of last week’s movie theatre massacre in Colorado.
“Dark Knight Rises” also opened in 17 international markets with US$88 million in ticket sales to put its global total at just under US$250 million for its debut. Warner Bros, a unit of Time Warner Inc, made no initial comment beyond simply releasing the figures. The movie cost around US$250 million to make and tens of millions more to promote and market.
Before a gunman killed 12 people and wounded 58 at a midnight screening of the movie early on Friday in a Denver suburb, “Dark Knight Rises” had been forecast by some box office watchers to bring in anywhere from US$170 million to US$198 million.
The alleged shooter, James Eagan Holmes, 24, made his first court appearance in Colorado yesterday; one day after President Barack Obama visited the scene to grieve with the victims’ families. Criminal charges are expected to be filed next week.
Despite ticket sales coming in lower than the range of estimates, the movie’s US and Canadian box office debut remains among Hollywood’s biggest openings ever, and the film appears poised to be a financial success.
The US$160.8 million ranks it No. 3 on the list of top 3-day opening weekends behind No. 1 “The Avengers” at US$207 million and No. 2 “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part II,” which earned US$169 million. “Dark Knight Rises” beat the debut of its 2008 predecessor “The Dark Knight”, which opened with US$158 million on its way to a total domestic haul of US$533 million.
The 2008 “Dark Knight” pulled in US$468 million overseas, putting its global haul above US$1 billion. The movie’s performance overseas will not be clear until it opens in more countries.
Box office watchers said it was hard to guess how much the movie might have made in the United States and Canada if the massacre had not happened.
“Before the weekend, I figured it would earn around US$170 million, and the fact it still earned over US$160 million in the wake of the tragedy is very impressive,” said Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com Box Office. “Never did I think it could earn over US$200 million or challenge ‘The Avengers’ which was 3D.”
Indeed, even before the weekend, some analysts had expected it would be difficult for “Dark Knight Rises” to reach the lofty heights others had predicted because it did not open in a 3D version, for which theatres charge higher ticket prices.
Elsewhere in US and Canadian theatres, “Ice Age: Continental Drift” in 3D took in US$20.4 million in its second week in theatres to rank No. 2 on ticket charts. Its domestic total now stands at US$88 million. “The Amazing Spider-Man,” also in 3D, was No. 3 with US$10.8 million, which elevated its total to US$228 million after roughly three weeks in theatres. — Reuters
