The Batmankeeps on winning, as it’s already grossed over $500 million worldwide. It’s now the most successful Warner Bros. release since the start of the pandemic, and is now starting to turn a profit against its massive budget.
The Batmanis officially a hit with audiences, as it earned an A- CinemaScore rating and continues to see solid attendance. The upcoming release in China will surely be even bigger, and possibly help the film cross the billion dollar mark.Compare this toBatman v Superman, which had a huge opening weekend, only to receive a lackluster B rating on CinemaScore and a historic 68% drop off the second weekend. It’s safe to say thatThe Batmanis already the more successful reboot, and precisely what the franchise needed.
RELATED:Why The Batman’s Villains Are Perfect
The Batmancrossed the box office milestone after earning an additional $5.75 million domestically on Wednesday, bringing its North American total to $258.3 million and its worldwide total to $505.8 million. This gross surpasses the $468 million earned byGodzilla vs. Kong, grantingThe Batmanthe title of Warner Bros.' most successful film since theaters reopened. Warner Bros. Pictures chairman Toby Emmerich said in a statement, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to see people all over the world enjoying ‘The Batman’ in theaters. Matt Reeves has delivered an extraordinary film that manages to honor the legacy of this global cultural hero while taking moviegoers into an experience that feels fresh and original. We congratulate Matt, Dylan, Walter, Chantal, Robert and Zoë, and the entire cast and crew on this wonderful benchmark.”
These ticket scores may not seem that huge compared to Christopher Nolan’s films, asThe Dark KnightandThe Dark Knight Riseswere among the most highly anticipated films in history. Butpeople forget thatBatman Beginsdidn’t make much money at all, as audiences were still soured by the franchise afterBatman & Robin. Considering howThe Batmanhad to face similar reboot-fatigue, and how the film experiments with such a different tone, it’s amazing that audiences are as warm to it as they are.
One major factor here is that it’s the first major Warner Bros. release sinceTenetto not have a simultaneous HBO Max release. That strategy was a double-edged sword, asfilms likeThe Suicide Squadearned a lot of traffic on the streaming platform, but failed to turn a profit in theaters. With the theater industry experiencing a revival after the runaway success ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, the time has come for studios to put trust back into theaters, as it’s the only practical way to make money in the short term.
WithThe Batman’s success, DC’s plans for a continued franchise in this Gotham City are justified. Not only is a sequel inevitable, but an HBO Max series staring The Penguin is in development, as well as aplanned show about Arkham Asylum. This is a smart move, as it’s unclear how invested audiences are with the main DCEU. By havingThe Batmanas the start of a separate franchise, Warner Bros. can focus on delivering the goods, without the baggage of crossovers or tangential characters.
