It’s only Friday afternoon and The Dark Knight has already set a box-office record, grossing the most ever for midnight shows.
Variety reports the movie’s estimated $18.5 million beat the previous midnight record held by Star Wars, Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith, which grossed $16.9 million from 3,663 venues. According to Warner Bros., that tally doesn’t include 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. showings.
The Dark Knight debuted at a record 4,366 theaters, unseating Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, which debuted in 4,362 venues.
Related: Nikki Finke has more on ticket sales and attempts to add screenings
July 18th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Should we place bets now about this having the best opening weekend ever?
July 18th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
All I know is that my local theater added three extra morning screenings for today, and I went to one of them with my sons and older son’s fiancee. Most daytime screenings here are sparsely attended, but not these. The parking lot was almost half full at 9 am. So our town may not be setting attendance records, but we are going out to see the movie. I hardly ever go to first day screenings; this one, I had to, I just had to.