Reuters
LOS ANGELES - The new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," swooped into theaters to gross a record $18.5 million from midnight preview screenings ahead of its official opening on Friday, according to distributor Warner Bros.
That tally includes receipts from 12:01a.m. Friday showings only in 3,040 North American theaters -- 3a.m. and 6 a.m. screenings were not counted -- and shattered the preview benchmark of $16.9million set by "Star Wars: Episode III --Revenge of the Sith" in 2005, the studio said.
The fortunes of "Dark Knight," which cost about $180 million to produce, were further brightened by mostly positive reviews and a record wide release in 4,366 U.S. and Canadian theaters.
The last Batman movie, 2005's "Batman Begins," grossed nearly $49 million its first weekend in North America and went on to collect about $372 million worldwide.
It also features the late Australian actor Heath Ledger in what turned out to be his last completed screen role, as Batman's arch nemesis, the Joker.
Only 10 other movies have managed to cross the $100 million.
Be one with us! Go to "Subscriber's Area".
0 Comments
Please note: Your comment may or may not appear immediately. Please do not submit it twice! Certain words may trigger a spam filtering delay. Please refrain from profanity; inappropriate comments may be deleted by the author's sole discretion.