What Will TDK's Final (Domestic) Box Office Total Be?

[Galactus]

I never thought we would see the day again that a movie was #1 for 4 weeks. I think this is one of those fluke things now. I don't think it would be doing these numbers if Ledger was still alive.

Do you guys think it would be doing these numbers against the other movies released earlier in the summer? I know inflation has a lot to do with the total dollar amount, but wow, just wow.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Oh, give it a rest. The buzz and speculation was rampant for this film long before Ledger's death. Besides, The Dark Knight was released MONTHS after he died in January, long after the buzz regarding his death had diminished.

 

[Frontier]

I think that prior to the films release, Heath's tragic death did help give it some extra lime light. That said, that only accounts for it's opening weekend. Heath's death ceased giving it any extra lime light after that. Heath's PERFORMANCE and the films overall quality is what has sustained it now. And truth be told, I think if Heath where alive, the film would be bigger. Really, I do, because his performance is so phenomenal that the Oscar buzz talk would be ten times as much and the paparazzi would be all over him. It would really be even greater where he alive. So in the grand scheme of thing, his death is simply a tragedy. Certainly, it's a bad thing for everyone, though. It simply didn't hurt the film.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I think that prior to the films release, Heath's tragic death did help give it some extra lime light. That said, that only accounts for it's opening weekend. Heath's death ceased giving it any extra lime light after that. Heath's PERFORMANCE and the films overall quality is what has sustained it now. And truth be told, I think if Heath where alive, the film would be bigger. Really, I do, because his performance is so phenomenal that the Oscar buzz talk would be ten times as much and the paparazzi would be all over him. It would really be even greater where he alive. So in the grand scheme of thing, his death is simply a tragedy. Certainly, it's a bad thing for everyone, though. It simply didn't hurt the film.

Well said.

 

[Galactus]

So you think the movie is doing so well because it is just that good? Guess we will never know.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I think that prior to the films release, Heath's tragic death did help give it some extra lime light. That said, that only accounts for it's opening weekend. Heath's death ceased giving it any extra lime light after that. Heath's PERFORMANCE and the films overall quality is what has sustained it now. And truth be told, I think if Heath where alive, the film would be bigger. Really, I do, because his performance is so phenomenal that the Oscar buzz talk would be ten times as much and the paparazzi would be all over him. It would really be even greater where he alive. So in the grand scheme of thing, his death is simply a tragedy. Certainly, it's a bad thing for everyone, though. It simply didn't hurt the film.

Well said. The Dark Knight's performance also owes its success to the fact it's a damn good film and has received excellent word of mouth.

 

[StarTrek1701]

Well said. The Dark Knight's performance also owes its success to the fact it's a damn good film and has received excellent word of mouth.

No question about it. It is the best film of the last three decades. But you do have to accept also that the death of Ledger played a slightly significant portion of interest from non-fans to go watch the movie.

 

[JacksonArcher]

So you think the movie is doing so well because it is just that good? Guess we will never know.

Shocking, isn't it?

 

[MyCylon]

They've posted an article about TDK's performance at CNN.

Two sections that I found interesting:

"However, the numbers reflect today's higher admission prices, and "The Dark Knight" will not approach "Star Wars" or "Titanic" in terms of actual number of tickets sold. Taking inflation into account, "The Dark Knight" would need to pull in about $900 million to match the number of tickets sold for "Titanic" and about $1.2 billion to equal "Star Wars.""

As well as this:

"Even so, "The Dark Knight" has far outdone even its studio's expectations. Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., said he would have been happy if the movie simply exceeded the $205 million domestic total of its predecessor, "Batman Begins."

It should top out at $510 million to $520 million, Fellman said."

 

[Galactus]

No question about it. It is the best film of the last three decades. But you do have to accept also that the death of Ledger played a slightly significant portion of interest from non-fans to go watch the movie.

Which is all I am saying. The movie is not simply doing so well because it is a good movie. I would say that the movies it is passing most people here would say were very bad.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

i'd say its his death + the fact that the word of mouth for the film and his performance is so high it's kind of a legendary performance, by far the best Joker i've ever seen onscreen.

Sustained profits = word of mouth + repeat viewers. Always. All you have to do is look at the steep drop-offs accompanying other film.

I think the last film to have 4 #1's was Return of the King, which wasn't actually that long ago.

I think it's fair to say, Dark Knight is right up there with "Lord of the Rings" and "Spider-Man" as the top movie events of the whole 2000s decade.

 

[Jax]

^^^
That pic's hilarious.

and so so wrong

Actually the Pineapple Express movie is written by the "Superbad/Knocked Up" guys so it probably quite good (I know it got good critical reviews which is so fucking rare these days).

Plus come on people they created...McLovin

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

I saw it this weekend, it's a funny movie, though you have to be into "stoner humor".

 

[Frontier]

Which is all I am saying. The movie is not simply doing so well because it is a good movie. I would say that the movies it is passing most people here would say were very bad.

Can you show me one thread or poll to support that? That most people here, on this forum, believe 'The Dark Knight' to be 'very bad'?

With respect, Galactus, your recent posts seem faintly under-the-bridge...

 

[JacksonArcher]

No question about it. It is the best film of the last three decades. But you do have to accept also that the death of Ledger played a slightly significant portion of interest from non-fans to go watch the movie.

Which is all I am saying. The movie is not simply doing so well because it is a good movie. I would say that the movies it is passing most people here would say were very bad.

That's ridiculous. So, by that reasoning, Star Wars wasn't that great? Or Raiders of the Lost Ark? Jaws?

The Dark Knight is doing so well because it is a great film. If Ledger's death created most of the reasoning to see it, the film would have had a great opening and then did less and less numbers as weeks went on, and not hold itself up so well in following weeks like it's doing.

 

[Tulin]

Anyone that knows anything about how films make money and how films make as much money as they do knows that this one is approaching enigma status. Movies do not make this much cash so quickly and display such healthy "legs" if they are bad films. Word of mouth usually sees the box office receipts dropping off long before now.

What is the more surprising fact about all of this is that the usually not very discerning American cinema-going public has actually recognized said quality.

 

[James Bond]

So you think the movie is doing so well because it is just that good?

B-b-b-b-but that wouldn't make any sense... Would it?

 

[T'Baio]

"The Dark Knight" did not deserve to fall to second behind any film entitled "Pineapple Express" - let alone a film of limited intelligence.

Have you seen "Pineapple Express"?

 

[Galactus]

Before I respond, are we talking about why it has been #1 for 4 weeks in a row, why it made so much money so quickly, or what the final total will be US domestic or worldwide?

I will state again that I believe that a large group of people went to see TDK because Ledger died. Then word got out that the movie was good. So now because he is dead and this will probably be his last great performance, it is an event movie so you can say I saw it when it came out in all its glory.

And here is the Top 10 Movies of all time domestic gross. How many think all of these are great film. Two of them are complained about almost on a weekly basis.
1 Titanic
2 Star Wars
3 The Dark Knight
4 Shrek 2
5 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
6 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
7 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest BV
8 Spider-Man Sony $403,706,375 2002
9 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
10 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

 

[Harvey]

Well said. The Dark Knight's performance also owes its success to the fact it's a damn good film and has received excellent word of mouth.

No question about it. It is the best film of the last three decades. But you do have to accept also that the death of Ledger played a slightly significant portion of interest from non-fans to go watch the movie.

Hype much?