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The Dark Knight Sells Out Over 450 Screenings Already
We’re still days away from the release of The Dark Knight, and already MovieTickets.Com is reporting that The Dark Knight has sold out over 450 screenings of the film in North America… over 150 screenings in Los Angeles and New York alone.
They estimate that by the time the movie is released The Dark Knight might sell more advanced tickets than any other film in history. That’s a lot of cabbage.
Keep in mind that online movie ticket sales go up every year as more and more people take advantage of the service. But still… over 450 shows already sold out? Holy crap!
About a month ago I said I didn’t think The Dark Knight would break $100 million opening weekend. After seeing a screening a couple of weeks ago and knowing what kind of buzz it was going to get (The movie is fantastic) I had to change my tune… now I think there is a very real possibility it may break the all time opening weekend box office record (in the $150 million range). Lots of cabbage.
hellboy was smart to open last week.
so will this make more then ironman? i think this will be better then ironman because its not an origin movie like ironman was and batman is more popular then ironman so maybe that does mean that itll have more viewers
dont get me wrong ironman was a great movie but obviously this has a better chance of being better sinse it got the origin story out of the way in batman begins
Got my IMAX tickets already, thank God.
I was planning on seeing “Hellboy 2″ this weekend as to avoid the crowds, but a friend just called me up and said they bought me a “Dark Knight” ticket. So I guess there’s no choice in the matter. This movie is going to be huge.
I wonder, if the movie is good, and return business is strong enough, could this end up being the biggest movie of the year? It doesn’t have an appeal for families due to the dark content, and the runtime will hinder repeat viewings, but I think that there’s a possibility. Not saying it’ll happen for sure, but it’s a possibility.
Hey Kristina,
Considering how Indy 4 underperformed, I’d say it’s a strong possibility
Just like Tim Burton’s 1989 film its all about the joker. Its the casual movie goer that will make this movie the biggest Batman movie ever!The Joker is box-office GOLD!l
I bought my Imax tickets for Chicago Navy Pier over a month ago and at the time 9am on Saturday was the only time with decent seats. This movie will be HUGE.
say what you want about their ‘viral’ marketing campaign, but it looks like it’s about to pay off in a big kind of way.
Hey David,
I think their stupid “viral” (and it wasn’t even viral) marketing campaign had zero to do with it. 95% of the movie going audience don’t participate in the online movie community. Just my thought.
With the critical acclaim this thing is getting, Oscar talk for Ledger, and now the pre-sales that John mentions – I can easily see this movie breaking Spider-Man 3’s opening weekend record of $151 million.
Of course, anti-social as I am I can’t stand the crowds so I’ll wait a few weeks before I see it. :-)
I’ll go see it. It’s just that I’m going to buy my tickets on the day of.
I definately think this has a shot at challenging for the top opening. I have heard more people buzzing about this movie than anything else. I hear girls who have no clue about comic books or film in general saying that they want to see this film opening weekend.
300 mil opening weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Going Saturday, can’t fucking wait!
I was going to see it opening night but I decided against it – I’m just not excited enough about it to stand in line for 6 hours (like Indy 4/Transformers).
I’ll see it next week sometime.
400 mil opening weekend!!!!!
weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
got my tickets already and the dang movie will open only in august!!
sometimes live in japan sucks!
My gut also tells me that its going to kick the $150 mill totals to the curb. Nothing else this year is in its class. Be afraid, be very-very afraid! Like I said I feel sorry for the X-Files. But on the other hand the weekend of the 25th I should have the theater for X all to myself! Nuthin’ wrong with that! 3 days and counting….can you say, “Oh Freaking Boy?”
already got my tickets, seeing it friday!!!!
I’m still not 100% sold that it can take the record. The reason why Spidey 3 hit that number is because it appealed to ALL quadrants:
1) Guys of all ages dig Spiderman.
2) Women who get dragged along, who like Spiderman or like the love shit(gag me)
3) FAMILIES who can bring their kids to this without worrying about objectionable material.
Now, can Dark Knight hit all three of these. Nuh uh.
1) Guys are there. IN FORCE.
2) Women will be dragged as dates as payback for Sex and the City, or show up to ogle Bale.
3) BUT FAMILIES WITH KIDS WILL NOT SHOW in as much force as they did for Spidey. Little kids did not like Batman Begins, and this would probably be “boring” or “too scary” for them. The Joker will give children NIGHTMARES, and word has already spread to families that this ain’t a kiddie flick.
Without the family dollar, can Dark Knight still take the record? Perhaps, but it needs an overabundance of support from the other areas to get this done. With the rate of theater sellouts, it’s a good possibility.
hope this movie does incredibly well and 3rd great concept is come up with to give Nolan and his brother motivation to write and direct a 3rd film. Otherwise it is gonna suck to have a new director even if we still have Bale (I believe he is in for 3). If so, they better get a man that can fill Nolan’s shoes which is a big task.
This is the only film so far this year that everyone I know is talking about. There have been films with some people excited but not others – every single person I work with, every person I live with and everyone of my friends is talking about this film.
I don’t know if it will take the opening weekend record but it is going to have a fucking massive opening weekend.
Me too I got Imax Tickets already,
smoke a lot of weed and go there two hours early !!!
I am guessing a opening of $142M opening weekend and a total of $373M total domestic.
@ John
Lets say TDK wins US box office…..do you think it has a chance to win foreign box office? So far INDY is leading with $441M and a total of $751M…..$310M US + $441M Foreign = $751M total?
Batman Begins made $371….can TDK make 2x of Begins
$371×2 = $742?
They factor IMAX into opening weekend tallies, right? Because almost all IMAX screenings are gone at my theater. Thankfully, I have tickets already, but I just looked to see how tickets are selling. All five Friday and Saturday screenings are gone, and only two screenings still have tickets available for Sunday at 10am(church) and 10pm(sleep before work Monday). Even 300 and Transformers(which admittedly, had been playing in standard theaters for a while before its IMAX opening) weren’t selling this briskly. I can understand reports of ticket pandemonium in big markets like NY or LA, but RALEIGH? We like our movies too, but dayum! It’s gonna be a madhouse, and I can’t wait. IMAX screenings tend to weed out the crap when it comes to bad crowds, so it should be okay. People aren’t gonna pay $13 a ticket to yap through the thing.
Indiana Jones underperformed??!!??? According to whose expectations?? Hasn’t it made over 700 million dollars worldwide so far?
even taking inflation into account that is about on par with the other indy films. Paramount will not be shedding any tears over a underperforming 700 + million haul.
Most studio heads would give their balls and ovaries to have their films underperform like that.
The midnight showing at the Mega-screen I’m going to is sold out, so I had to buy tickets for 3am.
@ George
Lol. Great point. I just checked The Numbers and it has listed Indy for $751M and there is still some dough left. It might get to $800 but idk.
@ Kristina
I believe that 300 opened in IMAX the same day of release in regular theaters.
“People aren’t gonna pay $13 a ticket to yap through the thing”
I certainly hope not. I purchased 3 tickets for IMAX for Sunday and they came out to $51 or $17 each. I hope its a enjoyable experience.
i think it will be, but i think it can take the record. lets face it, kids aren’t gonna see it under the age of 13. so then you still got alot of fans, actually, tons of fans that are going to see this. i don’t think the “no kids” factor will ruin it’s record, i think it’ll hit $155 opening weekend
Question: Is there anything after the credits just to make sure if I should stay or not?
@Sahil
Oh, I was just talking about Transformers in regard to the late release date, not 300:)
@Kim
No scenes after credits I believe, but there is an In Memorium to Heath in the credits. I think it comes up right as credits roll, so you won’t have to sit and wait if you want to see it. John’s already seen it, so he can answer this for you.
i think their over-saturating marketing campaign was important. it got some coverage in national media and was saturated enough to draw in some of the 95% who normally wouldn’t have ever been exposed to a normal viral campaign.
comes out tommorow, and got my tickets cannot wait!!!!!