Another weekend, another benchmark.
With $43.8 million this weekend, “The Dark Knight” becomes the year’s first movie to claim the box office throne for three straight weeks and appears destined to become at least the second-biggest film of all time.
And some people are beginning to mention the “T” word: “Titanic”.
If estimates from Nielsen EDI hold, the second installment of the new Batman franchise edged out “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”, which opened at $42.5 million.
That order could change when final figures come in today, but what is clear is that “Knight ”has not slowed down as it continues to gobble up records. By Tuesday, the film, which has made $394.9 million, will become the fastest film to reach $400 million.
And if it can add another $61 million to the till, it will supplant “Star Wars” ($461 million) as the second-biggest film in history. “Titanic ”remains a distant first with $601 million. (Of course, ticket sales are relative; when adjusted for inflation, “Gone With the Wind” remains king with $1.4 billion.)
“We’re beginning to look at a final number with at least a 5 in front of it,” says Dan Fellman of Warner Bros., which distributed “Knight”. “After that, who knows?”
Chris Gore of FilmThreat.com says that teen boys are doing for “Knight ”what teen girls did for “Titanic”.
“They’re seeing it multiple times, on IMAX, on the regular screens,” he says. “I think it’s going to beat ”Titanic“.”
Will Ferrell’s comedy “Step Brothers” was third with $16.3 million, followed by “Mamma Mia!” ’s $13.1 million. The musical has made $88 million.
The only other major newcomer, Kevin Costner’s “Swing Vote”, couldn’t muster much support, nabbing sixth place with $6.3 million, about $2 million short of projections.
Flicks
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Stephen Vaughan
August 4, 2008
MOVIES: Could 'Knight’ catch 'Titanic’ wave?
- Flicks
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- Viola E. Starkweather
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MOVIES: Could 'Knight’ catch 'Titanic’ wave?
With $43.8 million this weekend, “The Dark Knight” becomes the year’s first movie to claim the box office throne for three straight weeks and appears destined to become at least the second-biggest film of all time.
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MOVIES: ‘Dark Knight’ sets weekend record with $155.34M
Batman has sent Spidey packing as king of Hollywood’s box-office superheroes.
- BOX OFFICE: ’Indiana Jones’ unearths $126M in box office gold Indiana Jones unearthed box office gold at domestic theaters with a performance that puts the film on track to become the second biggest Memorial Day movie opening ever, according to studio estimates.
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LIFESTYLE: Jivin' at the drive-in
As the drive-in theater readies for its 75th anniversary this summer, a group of local enthusiasts is banding together to make sure the seasonal icon is around for decades more.
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MOVIES: Silent film fest coming to NT
An often-overlooked silent film star will get the spotlight to himself this weekend at the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda.
- MOVIES: ‘Prom Night’ carves out No. 1 stake at weekend box office Audiences made a date with “Prom Night,” the remake of the 1980 slasher flick that took in $22.7 million to debut as the weekend’s No. 1 movie, according to studio estimates.
- LANE: Computers may erase animators' presence While the “Toy Story” series, “Ratatouille” and other computer-generated films are well-done (and dazzling to look at sometimes), there’s just something about the old-school, hand-drawn movies that’s special.
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FILM: On ’Quantum of Solace’ set, even the explosions are feeling lonely
Picking up an hour after “Casino Royale” left off, “Quantum of Solace” is Bond franchise’s first direct sequel. Filming began in January and has taken the crew from Britain to Panama to this moonlike landscape in northern Chile, which is standing in for Bolivia.
- MOVIES: '21' doubles down to stay on top The gambling tale “21” kept up its winning streak as it took in $15.1 million to stay on top of the box office for a second-straight weekend, leaving George Clooney’s “Leatherheads” and the family tale “Nim’s Island” to scrimmage for second place.
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