While we’re in such a fugue state trying to get everything taken care of prior to the big show, we haven’t been covering the REALLY big story today which is HOW FREAKING HUGE DARK KNIGHT IS GOING TO BE. Varriety reports it already set a record for midnight showings:
Warner Bros.’ “The Dark Knight” grossed the most ever for midnight shows, racking up an estimated $18.5 million.
The follow-up to 2005’s “Batman Begins” outstripped the previous midnight record set by Fox’s “Star Wars, Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith” which grossed $16.9 million from 3,663 venues. “Sith” went on to make $50 million in its first day, which was a Thursday. The highest single day opening record is currently held by Sony’s “Spider-man 3” which made $59.8 million.
“Dark Knight” unspooled in a record number of sites – 4,366 – outstripping the wide bow of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” which touted a theater count of 4,362.
The DARK KNIGHT’s wildy enthusiastic reception (and the generally good WATCHMEN buzz) should do much at WB to sooth the sting of Marvel’s recent BO success. Out of all this year’s comic book movies DARK KNIGHT appears to be the real phenomenon.
We’re not seeing it until tomorrow night — no one spoil it okay?
I’m keeping an open mind and not getting sucked in by all the hoopla until I see the movie. After all, Hollywood’s already ruined one comic book theme movie this summer (Wanted) and last summer’s “I am Legend”
I feel like I’ve already seen it, with all the HYPE!~! and previews and viral sites and so on.
It doesn’t matter what kind of expectations you have. The movie will surpass all of them.
Having watched the midnight screening last night, I was amazed how little the hype had spoiled it. Even having read the most influentical source material and seen all the trailers, I was on the edge of my seat, constantly surprised throughout. Expectations exceeded!
Having watched the midnight screening last night, I was amazed how little the hype had spoiled it. Even having read the most influential source material and seen all the trailers, I was on the edge of my seat, constantly surprised throughout. Expectations exceeded!
My wife and I are going to see in while we’re in San Diego. We’re staying with my mom (who lives in a 619 suburb) so we finally have someone to babysit for us at no charge. Going to the movies becomes big bucks, once you’re parents. Sheesh. The funny thing is, my wife, who does not read comics, has been looking forward to this movie more then any other, all year. She was, even before Ledger died. It’ll be nice to take her out.
I went to a morning showing today. Was blown away by how great the movie is. Dark, quite violent, compelling. I just sat there through the credits going “wow!”
I saw it on Wednesday night at a preview screening and was constantly on the edge of my seat. Nolan and company have crafted one hell of a great thriller and for once, we have a movie that lives up to the hype. I loved Iron Man, but The Dark Knight has a lot more thought and craft behind it.
As of yesterday evening, the Lincoln Square IMAX was sold out until Monday at 10 AM. Fans were waiting in line. Those tickets cost $16, and that theatre is BIG.
Dark Knight will set a single day record. Very likely it will set a weekend record as well.
Just curious… with inflation, how do the numbers from the 1989 Batman movie compare? If memory serves, it was the first blockbuster to have midnight screenings.
It doesn’t matter what kind of expectations you have. The movie will surpass all of them.
Not necessarily. I left the theatre feeling letdown, and the more I’ve thought about it today, the more disappointed I’ve gotten thinking about what could have been. Don’t get me wrong – it’s good. But trim a half-hour and one plot thread, and it would have been stunningly great.
I’m siding with Dweeze above, it was damn good, don’t get me wrong.
But an easy half hour could have been cut from this thing and I’m still not buying some of the contrived scenarios. It was a good crime drama more than a superhero flick, but then… Batman isn’t really a superhero, he’s just a vigilante guy in a suit with no powers. You may have been able to switch him out with The Punisher and get the same result.
only a central theme to the movie is Batman following his rules and keeping his morals intact even when facing a foe that is evil incarnate. So if you just switched him out with the Punisher all the mobsters and such would have been shot on site. So obviously you can’t just “switch him out”
it was brilliant and the best film i saw this year. didn’t feel long at all for me since there wasn’t a boring second in it. wonderful acting, smart script and beautifully directed. sure, i liked iron man, but it seems like pop music compared to this classic.
went to a 1:45 showing and it was packed. mama mia!
JIMMY
gotta agree w/ jimmy. since well, he’s got my name. :) i saw the 4am showing (friday) since the midnight had sold out. and i got my tix 2 weeks in advance!
it was a stunning film. wonderfully crafted on all sides. acting, directing, script, cinematography, etc.
great acting all around,but it goes w/o saying how amazing ledger is in the film. he’s the erratic force of artistic nature that slashes through w/o rhyme or reason. absolutely amazing.
p.s. heidi, spoiler for you. bruce wayne is batman. :P
Maybe jimmy is jimmy’s dad?
As a guy that lived through the Bats TV show (yeah I never missed it, even though as a kid I complained to my mom that they were making fun of the Caped Crusader) and the awfulness of the “Batman and Robin” movie (pure dreck), this is the Batman story I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
Effin’ great!
Though I’m no fan of B&R, at least the villains’ motivations in it have more consistency than the Joker’s mixed-up motives in DK.
And don’t tell me Joker doesn’t have to make sense. There’s always method in his madness.
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