<div style="width: 242px; height: 158px; padding: 0; margin: 0; background: #043038 no-repeat top left;"><object width="242" height="121" id="uvp_fop"><param name="movie" value="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/the_dark_knight_countdown.swf "></param><param name="flashVars" value="countdowntime=2008-07-18 04:00:00"></param><embed height="121" width="242" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/the_dark_knight_countdown.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="countdowntime=2008-07-18 04:00:00"> </embed></object><p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 8px;"><a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/thedarkknight.html" style="color: #b0c9c6; font-size: 12px; font-family: arial;">Watch the Trailer on Yahoo! Movies</a></p></div>
Warner Wants $160-170 Million Opening For "The Dark Knight"
Hilary Lewis | Jul 18, 2008 8:32 AM
We scoffed at reports last week that Warner Bros. was only predicting a $90-100 million opening weekend for The Dark Knight. In fact, they're hoping for nearly twice that much:
Deadline Hollywood Daily: Though they won't dare discuss this in public, I'm told that Warner Bros bigwigs are hoping for between $160 million and $170 million for Batman: The Dark Knight as 3-day weekend total gross from a record 4,366 North American theaters. That's a huge increase from the $130 million that the studio bosses were expecting earlier in the week. But the ticket sales frenzy, from coast to coast, city to city, town to town, with almost 24/7 performances even in the hinterlands, and all those IMAX sell-outs, has them all revved up.
Warner Bros toppers have their sights set on taking down every record, too. They especially want to better Sony's Spider-Man 3, which scored the best 3-day weekend opening of $151.1 million over May 4-6 last year. And to beat the best-ever 3-day non-holiday weekend box office overall, this Batman installment has to better $218.4 million in total domestic grosses set on July 7-9, 2006, when Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opened with $131.5 million.
Hilary Lewis | Jul 18, 2008 8:32 AM
Deadline Hollywood Daily: Though they won't dare discuss this in public, I'm told that Warner Bros bigwigs are hoping for between $160 million and $170 million for Batman: The Dark Knight as 3-day weekend total gross from a record 4,366 North American theaters. That's a huge increase from the $130 million that the studio bosses were expecting earlier in the week. But the ticket sales frenzy, from coast to coast, city to city, town to town, with almost 24/7 performances even in the hinterlands, and all those IMAX sell-outs, has them all revved up.
Warner Bros toppers have their sights set on taking down every record, too. They especially want to better Sony's Spider-Man 3, which scored the best 3-day weekend opening of $151.1 million over May 4-6 last year. And to beat the best-ever 3-day non-holiday weekend box office overall, this Batman installment has to better $218.4 million in total domestic grosses set on July 7-9, 2006, when Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opened with $131.5 million.
The Dark Knight: Best. Superhero. Movie. Ever.
The Dark Knight - 4 Stars
Rated PG-13 Running Time : 2:32
By Chuck Koplinski
We’ve suffered from a superhero glut at American cinemas this year, so much so that if I don’t see another costumed do-gooder before 2009, I’d be more than thrilled. Still and all, when the dust settles at the end of this film year, Christopher Nolan’s Batman feature The Dark Knight will wind up on my “Best of” list, as it’s an ambitious, visionary work that’s concerned with far more than a powerful outcast saving the day. Posing moral questions about the nature of good and evil, as well as examining the dynamics of living in a free society which depends on the civility of its citizens to survive, the film explores the nature of heroism and villainy to reach the conclusion that they are not very far apart.
As with most sequels in this genre, Knight benefits greatly from not having to spend time dispensing with any background concerning its main character. We quickly learn that Batman (Christian Bale) has had a profound effect on crime in Gotham City and that he’s become an unofficial aid to Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldham). Yet despite his presence, there’s still a great deal of work to do, what with organized crime still running rampant. Gasoline is poured on the fire by the appearance of the Joker (Heath Ledger), who has the temerity to rob a mob-controlled bank, which sets off a firestorm of activity with the hoods. Though the task of stopping this wave of crime is great, Batman has help in his fight in the persons of idealistic district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and his assistant Rachel Dawes, (Maggie Gyllenhaal) as well as his trustworthy butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and high-tech gadget maker Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).
As written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, who borrow heavily from the graphic novels The Long Halloween and The Killing Joke, the plot here’s complex, gritty and full of surprises. More an urban crime epic than a simple comic book film, the story features its share of action set pieces, most notably the opening heist and a fatal chase scene shot on Chicago’s Lower Wacker Drive. However, the meat of the story springs from the battle of wills that develop between the characters. At stake is the moral fiber of a city, with beleaguered knights awash in a sea of corruption that tempts them every day to turn a blind eye. Each and every character, as well as citizen of Gotham, is forced to make a moral choice between right and wrong at some point and while their actions may seem miniscule, the sum total of their decisions decide the fate of their city as well as their souls.
The film contains a degree of intensity not normally found in features of this sort. Make no mistake; this is not a movie for children, as the tone Nolan adapts is raw, the mood dark and the violence intense for a PG-13 feature. There are a great many things that separate this from previous Batman films, chief among them the portrayal of the Joker. He’s nothing more than an agent of chaos, a walking contradiction as his actions seemingly defy logic yet wind up being part of a grand sinister plan. He has more than a few cards up his sleeve and as portrayed by Ledger, he comes off as one of the most memorable villains in film history because of the actor’s intense approach to the role. This isn’t a hammy turn but a passionate, frightening portrayal of psychotic behavior. Making the character even more compelling is the degree of humanity Ledger brings to the role, as there are hints about the character’s tragic background, which he mines to great effect.
Even when he’s not on screen, the Joker’s presence dominates the film, as we know his plans drive every other character in the story. Much is made of the dichotomy of Batman and his nemesis as they are seen here as two sides of the same card. Both of these men hide a great deal of pain behind their masks, having suffered great tragedy and each has responded by allowing their lives to be dominated by insanity. Ledger will get the lion’s share of accolades but Bale matches him. The actor knows that he’s in a potentially thankless role, but he makes Bruce Wayne and his alter ego interesting by genuinely showing the character’s hopes, doubts and regrets. These two pros play expertly off one another and provide the film with an emotional core that elevates it above its genre roots.
While many will be attracted to the film’s “Wow” factor, it is the human element that makes it memorable. Each member of the main cast inhabits their roles with a sincerity that grounds them and we can’t help be become invested in the plight of Gordon, the family man cop, Dent, the tarnished shining knight, or Dawes, the woman caught in the middle of two men. We relate to their trails because they are our own – the struggle to do right in a world of temptation that seems to reward the corrupt and vacuous. The Dark Knight is a film steeped in tragedy, sacrifice and heroism and the eternal struggle at its core gives it a resonance that makes it one for the ages.
The Dark Knight - 4 Stars
Rated PG-13 Running Time : 2:32
By Chuck Koplinski
We’ve suffered from a superhero glut at American cinemas this year, so much so that if I don’t see another costumed do-gooder before 2009, I’d be more than thrilled. Still and all, when the dust settles at the end of this film year, Christopher Nolan’s Batman feature The Dark Knight will wind up on my “Best of” list, as it’s an ambitious, visionary work that’s concerned with far more than a powerful outcast saving the day. Posing moral questions about the nature of good and evil, as well as examining the dynamics of living in a free society which depends on the civility of its citizens to survive, the film explores the nature of heroism and villainy to reach the conclusion that they are not very far apart.
As with most sequels in this genre, Knight benefits greatly from not having to spend time dispensing with any background concerning its main character. We quickly learn that Batman (Christian Bale) has had a profound effect on crime in Gotham City and that he’s become an unofficial aid to Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldham). Yet despite his presence, there’s still a great deal of work to do, what with organized crime still running rampant. Gasoline is poured on the fire by the appearance of the Joker (Heath Ledger), who has the temerity to rob a mob-controlled bank, which sets off a firestorm of activity with the hoods. Though the task of stopping this wave of crime is great, Batman has help in his fight in the persons of idealistic district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and his assistant Rachel Dawes, (Maggie Gyllenhaal) as well as his trustworthy butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and high-tech gadget maker Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).
As written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, who borrow heavily from the graphic novels The Long Halloween and The Killing Joke, the plot here’s complex, gritty and full of surprises. More an urban crime epic than a simple comic book film, the story features its share of action set pieces, most notably the opening heist and a fatal chase scene shot on Chicago’s Lower Wacker Drive. However, the meat of the story springs from the battle of wills that develop between the characters. At stake is the moral fiber of a city, with beleaguered knights awash in a sea of corruption that tempts them every day to turn a blind eye. Each and every character, as well as citizen of Gotham, is forced to make a moral choice between right and wrong at some point and while their actions may seem miniscule, the sum total of their decisions decide the fate of their city as well as their souls.
The film contains a degree of intensity not normally found in features of this sort. Make no mistake; this is not a movie for children, as the tone Nolan adapts is raw, the mood dark and the violence intense for a PG-13 feature. There are a great many things that separate this from previous Batman films, chief among them the portrayal of the Joker. He’s nothing more than an agent of chaos, a walking contradiction as his actions seemingly defy logic yet wind up being part of a grand sinister plan. He has more than a few cards up his sleeve and as portrayed by Ledger, he comes off as one of the most memorable villains in film history because of the actor’s intense approach to the role. This isn’t a hammy turn but a passionate, frightening portrayal of psychotic behavior. Making the character even more compelling is the degree of humanity Ledger brings to the role, as there are hints about the character’s tragic background, which he mines to great effect.
Even when he’s not on screen, the Joker’s presence dominates the film, as we know his plans drive every other character in the story. Much is made of the dichotomy of Batman and his nemesis as they are seen here as two sides of the same card. Both of these men hide a great deal of pain behind their masks, having suffered great tragedy and each has responded by allowing their lives to be dominated by insanity. Ledger will get the lion’s share of accolades but Bale matches him. The actor knows that he’s in a potentially thankless role, but he makes Bruce Wayne and his alter ego interesting by genuinely showing the character’s hopes, doubts and regrets. These two pros play expertly off one another and provide the film with an emotional core that elevates it above its genre roots.
While many will be attracted to the film’s “Wow” factor, it is the human element that makes it memorable. Each member of the main cast inhabits their roles with a sincerity that grounds them and we can’t help be become invested in the plight of Gordon, the family man cop, Dent, the tarnished shining knight, or Dawes, the woman caught in the middle of two men. We relate to their trails because they are our own – the struggle to do right in a world of temptation that seems to reward the corrupt and vacuous. The Dark Knight is a film steeped in tragedy, sacrifice and heroism and the eternal struggle at its core gives it a resonance that makes it one for the ages.
sorry..didn't see this thread b4 starting a separate one.
I wanna make a few points. 1st, You will slap yourself if you overlook this movie because of the "buzz". I've got to say, this movie backs it all up and more.
I'm saying this not being a fan of the Batman franchise nor a comicbook movie geek. My tastes more more along the lines of movies like, "The Game, The Bourne Series, Hunt for Red October, JFK, The good Shepard" Those kinds of movies.
After seeing the Dark Knight I'm speechless.
I wanna make a few points. 1st, You will slap yourself if you overlook this movie because of the "buzz". I've got to say, this movie backs it all up and more.
I'm saying this not being a fan of the Batman franchise nor a comicbook movie geek. My tastes more more along the lines of movies like, "The Game, The Bourne Series, Hunt for Red October, JFK, The good Shepard" Those kinds of movies.
After seeing the Dark Knight I'm speechless.
'Dark Knight' Sets Record for Midnight Debut
"The Dark Knight" set a box office record for a midnight debut, bringing in $18.5 million Friday from its midnight screening in 3,040 theaters, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers.:toast:
That bested the 2005 performance of "Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith," which took in $16.9 million at its debut. "The Dark Knight" figure did not include any of its 3 a.m. or 6 a.m. showings.
As die-hard fans wearing Batman gear headed to thousands of sold-out 12:01 a.m. screenings on Friday, industry watchers predicted "The Dark Knight" would pass the $100 million mark on its opening weekend.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,385883,00.html#
Gitesh Pandya, who runs the Web site boxofficeguru.com, said the film will easily break the $100 million mark and will definitely be one of the top five openings of all time.
"It may hit the top three — anything is possible," he told FOXNews.com. "Anticipation is as high as I've ever seen."
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,4546,00.html
"Dark Knight" will hope to beat the record debut of Sony Pictures Entertainment's "Spider-Man 3" in 2007, which reached $151 million.
But Pandya doubts that "Knight" will top "Spider-Man 3," which was shown on more screens and was more kid-friendly.
"This is a little darker and violent," he said.
Thousands of midnight showtimes sold out across the country as the movie opened early Friday morning, and online ticket seller Fandango predicts Friday will be the biggest ticket-selling day in company history.
The movie, playing in a record 4,300 theaters, was Fandango's second best-selling movie in pre-sales — "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" was No. 1 — and made up 94 percent of this week's Fandango ticket sales.
Across North America, more screenings were being added to meet demand, Finke reported.
The popularity of what seems like the umpteenth Batman movie seems to hinge on a confluence of cultural currents, not the least of which is the lingering grief surrounding the accidental overdose death of 28-year-old star Heath Ledger in January.
His twisted, riveting portrayal of one of Batman's most diabolical enemies has drawn rave reviews and talk of a posthumous Oscar.
The buzz is inspiring "that kind of adulation you'd expect for a rock star," says Rick Butler, chief operating officer of Fandango. "It opens up the audience to non-Batman fans, who are going to the movies tonight to pay tribute to Heath Ledger."
The movie also features a strong cast, with Christian Bale as Batman, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. And director Christopher Nolan was the director of the enormously successful "Batman Begins."
Even without seeing the film, fans like Shannon Kleehaas, a junior at Queens College in New York, are already rooting for Ledger to win a posthumous Academy Award.
“I hope he gets the Oscar. From the trailers alone, it looks as if he did a fantastic job," she recently told FOXNews.com. "All the hype about his performance has built up my excitement to see the movie, and I’m impatiently counting the days."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
"The Dark Knight" set a box office record for a midnight debut, bringing in $18.5 million Friday from its midnight screening in 3,040 theaters, according to tracking firm Media By Numbers.:toast:
That bested the 2005 performance of "Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith," which took in $16.9 million at its debut. "The Dark Knight" figure did not include any of its 3 a.m. or 6 a.m. showings.
As die-hard fans wearing Batman gear headed to thousands of sold-out 12:01 a.m. screenings on Friday, industry watchers predicted "The Dark Knight" would pass the $100 million mark on its opening weekend.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,385883,00.html#
Gitesh Pandya, who runs the Web site boxofficeguru.com, said the film will easily break the $100 million mark and will definitely be one of the top five openings of all time.
"It may hit the top three — anything is possible," he told FOXNews.com. "Anticipation is as high as I've ever seen."
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,4546,00.html
"Dark Knight" will hope to beat the record debut of Sony Pictures Entertainment's "Spider-Man 3" in 2007, which reached $151 million.
But Pandya doubts that "Knight" will top "Spider-Man 3," which was shown on more screens and was more kid-friendly.
"This is a little darker and violent," he said.
Thousands of midnight showtimes sold out across the country as the movie opened early Friday morning, and online ticket seller Fandango predicts Friday will be the biggest ticket-selling day in company history.
The movie, playing in a record 4,300 theaters, was Fandango's second best-selling movie in pre-sales — "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" was No. 1 — and made up 94 percent of this week's Fandango ticket sales.
Across North America, more screenings were being added to meet demand, Finke reported.
The popularity of what seems like the umpteenth Batman movie seems to hinge on a confluence of cultural currents, not the least of which is the lingering grief surrounding the accidental overdose death of 28-year-old star Heath Ledger in January.
His twisted, riveting portrayal of one of Batman's most diabolical enemies has drawn rave reviews and talk of a posthumous Oscar.
The buzz is inspiring "that kind of adulation you'd expect for a rock star," says Rick Butler, chief operating officer of Fandango. "It opens up the audience to non-Batman fans, who are going to the movies tonight to pay tribute to Heath Ledger."
The movie also features a strong cast, with Christian Bale as Batman, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. And director Christopher Nolan was the director of the enormously successful "Batman Begins."
Even without seeing the film, fans like Shannon Kleehaas, a junior at Queens College in New York, are already rooting for Ledger to win a posthumous Academy Award.
“I hope he gets the Oscar. From the trailers alone, it looks as if he did a fantastic job," she recently told FOXNews.com. "All the hype about his performance has built up my excitement to see the movie, and I’m impatiently counting the days."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dark Knight Sets New Opening Day Record!
Source: Box Office Mojo
July 19, 2008
Box Office Mojo is reporting that Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight has set a new opening day record with $66.4 million in a record 4,366 theaters (including 94 IMAX theaters) nationwide.
With brisk advance sales and early sell-outs reported all week from Fandango, it looks like the latest installment in Warner Bros' Batman franchise has delivered an opening day gross bigger than the previous five movies were able to make in their opening weekends alone. Even though Dark Knight opened with roughly $7 million more than Spider-Man 3 grossed in its opening day last year, to claim the opening weekend record (currently $151.1 million) for The Dark Knight might be somewhat premature, since Spider-Man 3 opened in May with school in session, while theoretically, The Dark Knight could be more frontloaded with so much more interest and demand in seeing it opening day. Then again, word-of-mouth has generally been as positive as the reviews with 93% of Superhero Hype readers rating the movie with a 9 out of 10 or above and many have expressed a desire to see the movie a second or third time, even opening weekend. Stay tuned for the final weekend box office estimates tomorrow afternoon.
Universal's movie musical Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep has made an estimated $9.6 million on Friday, while Will Smith's Hancock pulled ahead of Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: the Golden Army for third place.
Source: Box Office Mojo
July 19, 2008
Box Office Mojo is reporting that Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight has set a new opening day record with $66.4 million in a record 4,366 theaters (including 94 IMAX theaters) nationwide.
With brisk advance sales and early sell-outs reported all week from Fandango, it looks like the latest installment in Warner Bros' Batman franchise has delivered an opening day gross bigger than the previous five movies were able to make in their opening weekends alone. Even though Dark Knight opened with roughly $7 million more than Spider-Man 3 grossed in its opening day last year, to claim the opening weekend record (currently $151.1 million) for The Dark Knight might be somewhat premature, since Spider-Man 3 opened in May with school in session, while theoretically, The Dark Knight could be more frontloaded with so much more interest and demand in seeing it opening day. Then again, word-of-mouth has generally been as positive as the reviews with 93% of Superhero Hype readers rating the movie with a 9 out of 10 or above and many have expressed a desire to see the movie a second or third time, even opening weekend. Stay tuned for the final weekend box office estimates tomorrow afternoon.
Universal's movie musical Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep has made an estimated $9.6 million on Friday, while Will Smith's Hancock pulled ahead of Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: the Golden Army for third place.
'The Dark Knight' Sells 13% of its Opening Weekend Box Office on Fandango
New 'Batman' Movie Sold 15 Tickets Per Second During Peak Periods
Last update: 1:49 p.m. EDT July 20, 2008
LOS ANGELES, July 20, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Fandango's previous records for daily, hourly and weekend ticket sales were beaten to a pulp by "The Dark Knight" this weekend. As mobs of fans scooped up advance tickets at a breakneck pace, Fandango sold 13% of the film's projected domestic weekend box office.*
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061016/LAM046LOGO-b ) The latest ticketing data for "The Dark Knight" on Fandango includes:</PRE>-- DAILY/HOURLY/WEEKEND TOP TICKET-SELLER: "The Dark Knight" broke Fandango's daily and hourly ticket sales records on Friday, July 18. The previous record-holder in both categories was 2007's "Spider-Man 3." "Knight" broke Fandango's 3-day weekend record on Sunday.
-- FASTEST-SELLER: The new "Batman" movie was selling as fast as 15 tickets per second during extended periods on Friday. The previous record was held by "Spider-Man 3," which sold as many as 10 tickets per second on Friday, May 4, 2007.
-- SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF TICKETS SOLD ONLINE: "The Dark Knight" accounted for one of Fandango's largest percentages (13%) of tickets sold for a feature film's opening weekend. (By comparison, Fandango sold 16% of "Sex and the City," nearly 12% of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and 10.5 % of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" domestic opening weekends.)
-- REPEAT BUSINESS: In a Fandango.com poll over the weekend, 64% of "Dark Knight" moviegoers said they plan to see the movie again.
-- THE HEATH LEDGER FACTOR: The late Heath Ledger's Oscar-worthy performance as The Joker carved out a huge piece of "The Dark Knight's" audience: 53% of moviegoers said that Ledger was the single most important factor in prompting them to buy a ticket, according to a Fandango poll in early July.
"It's clear that people are looking for an escape to the movies these days," says Rick Butler, Chief Operating Officer of Fandango, "and 'The Dark Knight' delivered. Advance ticket sales were extraordinary this weekend. Our Web site saw an unprecedented number of moviegoers searching for theaters and showtimes while viewing film trailers and photos, and we're pleased to report we met the demand. As an indicator of the rise of online ticketing, we sold more tickets during 'The Dark Knight's' opening two days than we did for all films in the first 12 months of our company's history."
About Fandango
One of the Web's top movie and entertainment destinations, Fandango sells tickets to more than 15,000 screens. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. Fandango is available at www.fandango.com, 1-800-FANDANGO and via your wireless mobile device at mobile.fandango.com. Fandango is a unit of Comcast Interactive Media.
* Based on the film's estimated domestic weekend box office of $153.6 million projected by ReelSource.
SOURCE Fandango
</PRE>
http://www.fandango.com/</PRE>Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
New 'Batman' Movie Sold 15 Tickets Per Second During Peak Periods
Last update: 1:49 p.m. EDT July 20, 2008
LOS ANGELES, July 20, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Fandango's previous records for daily, hourly and weekend ticket sales were beaten to a pulp by "The Dark Knight" this weekend. As mobs of fans scooped up advance tickets at a breakneck pace, Fandango sold 13% of the film's projected domestic weekend box office.*
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061016/LAM046LOGO-b ) The latest ticketing data for "The Dark Knight" on Fandango includes:</PRE>-- DAILY/HOURLY/WEEKEND TOP TICKET-SELLER: "The Dark Knight" broke Fandango's daily and hourly ticket sales records on Friday, July 18. The previous record-holder in both categories was 2007's "Spider-Man 3." "Knight" broke Fandango's 3-day weekend record on Sunday.
-- FASTEST-SELLER: The new "Batman" movie was selling as fast as 15 tickets per second during extended periods on Friday. The previous record was held by "Spider-Man 3," which sold as many as 10 tickets per second on Friday, May 4, 2007.
-- SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF TICKETS SOLD ONLINE: "The Dark Knight" accounted for one of Fandango's largest percentages (13%) of tickets sold for a feature film's opening weekend. (By comparison, Fandango sold 16% of "Sex and the City," nearly 12% of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and 10.5 % of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" domestic opening weekends.)
-- REPEAT BUSINESS: In a Fandango.com poll over the weekend, 64% of "Dark Knight" moviegoers said they plan to see the movie again.
-- THE HEATH LEDGER FACTOR: The late Heath Ledger's Oscar-worthy performance as The Joker carved out a huge piece of "The Dark Knight's" audience: 53% of moviegoers said that Ledger was the single most important factor in prompting them to buy a ticket, according to a Fandango poll in early July.
"It's clear that people are looking for an escape to the movies these days," says Rick Butler, Chief Operating Officer of Fandango, "and 'The Dark Knight' delivered. Advance ticket sales were extraordinary this weekend. Our Web site saw an unprecedented number of moviegoers searching for theaters and showtimes while viewing film trailers and photos, and we're pleased to report we met the demand. As an indicator of the rise of online ticketing, we sold more tickets during 'The Dark Knight's' opening two days than we did for all films in the first 12 months of our company's history."
About Fandango
One of the Web's top movie and entertainment destinations, Fandango sells tickets to more than 15,000 screens. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. Fandango is available at www.fandango.com, 1-800-FANDANGO and via your wireless mobile device at mobile.fandango.com. Fandango is a unit of Comcast Interactive Media.
* Based on the film's estimated domestic weekend box office of $153.6 million projected by ReelSource.
SOURCE Fandango
</PRE>
http://www.fandango.com/</PRE>Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Best superhero movie I ever saw. For a 2 and a half hour movie it sure didn't seem it. Like everyone else said Ledger OWNS the movie. One of the best acting jobs i've seen. Christian Bale isn't half bad himself. Only thing that could have been better is if Katie Holmes would have been in this one as well. If not her at least a little more attractive of an actress. Overall excellent movie.
