Middletown vs. Moeller
Pyramid Hill light show preparation
Were you spotted tailgating?
Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2008 > July > 28 > Entry
Where/how high can ‘The Dark Knight’ go?
With Batman breaking box office records like he busts criminals’ heads, many people are salivating over the prospect of The Dark Knight overtaking Titanic to become the all-time box-office leader. Oft-quoted box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian thinks this is a very real possibility.
I don’t.
It goes without saying that The Dark Knight’s run so far has been nothing short of breathtaking. It took only 10 days - 10 days! - to make $300 million at the box office. The previous record-holder was Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which crested $300 million in 16 days. At this point, $400 million is a mortal lock for The Dark Knight, and $500 million is within reach.
But to topple the $600 million-plus earned by Titanic? I just don’t see it happening, the main reason being that theatrical runs keep getting shorter and shorter, and so does the window between theatrical and DVD. Bear in mind, when Titanic hit, DVD was only just starting to make inroads. Now, I think people are well aware that The Dark Knight will be on DVD in time for the holidays, and I don’t think people will be inclined to revisit it quite so often as moviegoers did for Titanic, which kept racking up high grosses for MONTHS, to say nothing of weeks.
However …
The Dark Knight’s run in IMAX (for which it was specifically designed) is doing a lot to boost its numbers, and I don’t believe another IMAX release is set until -ulp - Madagascar 2 in November. (What a waste. Have fun with your two weeks before Harry Potter hits, guys!). That being the case, I say The Dark Knight stops at around $500 million, making it the the number two film of all time, upsetting another behemoth - Star Wars. And that’s mightily impressive for an unremittingly bleak and somber film whose predecessor just barely topped $200 million in its entire run.
Just to keep things in perspective, however, look at the box office chart adjusted for inflation. A $500 million run would put The Dark Knight at #30, where Ghostbusters floats. The all-time champion remains Gone With The Wind, which made $1.4 BILLION in adjusted dollars.
Now, for those of you not interested in box office, I have other questions: Where in the world can a third Batman movie go? What villains could they possibly use? Mr. Freeze? The Penguin? Too silly. Catwoman? Still too much stench from her solo movie. MAYBE the Riddler, but that seems too comic for this downbeat series. If memory serves, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine all signed three-picture deals. (Director Chrstopher Nolan did not.) What would you like to see in the next installment?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: In Area Theaters
Comments
By RES
July 30, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this
I haven’t seen Dark Knight yet, so maybe it has Two-Face, but if not what reason is there to introduce Harvey Dent? But it seems to me that the question is not “who would be a cool villain to see” but “who would best complete the Batman’s character arc?”By Kim
July 29, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this
The adjusted prices are interesting to me! It’s surprising to see where some things are sold. I would be curious to see it a step further with just a tally of box office tickets sold. Films like GWTW make a ton from licensing. And I can see Catwoman working in the next film - I don’t think the stand alone disaster will affect it at all. It was just that movie that was a mess - the character is still iconic.By Allie D.
July 28, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
I’m not terribly interested in Box Office at this point. It is one of the most successful movies of all time, and is now one of my personal favorites, so it’s all good. As for a third film, it is my hope that they do complete this arc. Even if it pulls a Return of the Jedi (where it’s good but still can’t quite match its predecessor), I’d be happy. Nolan has said that he didn’t leave much for a third film, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t pen a third script. It is my hope that he does. This is his universe and I feel that there needs to be some closure/redemption for Batman. There are a LOT of Batman villains from the comic book series that are yet to be explored. We won’t be seeing Penguin or Freeze, though, because Nolan has expressed that he wants his villains to be grounded in reality. I do have a feeling that The Riddler will be one we will see. While he’s not the sadist that Joker was, he does have a way of instilling a sense of pandemonium, danger, and dark humor. In Nolan’s universe, he could end up being like the Zodiac. As for Catwoman, it would be nice to see her considering she IS Batman’s major love interest in the comics. It’s silly to think that the Berry movie, that had absolutely no link to the Batman universe, would ruin her chances here. And I think that if anyone can pull it off and make us forget about the stench of that movie just as he did with the Schulmacher travesties, Nolan can. ———SPOILER ALERT!!——There is also going to be the need for a female element in the next film, which I think will up the chances of a Selina Kyle/Catwoman presence.