LOS ANGELES, March 14 — The Batman held fast to its leading position in North American theatres this weekend, with a strong take estimated at US$66 million (RM276.8 million), industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported yesterday.
With few new wide releases coming in what promises to be a quiet March, “Batman will carry the month,” said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, who predicts a “thin” release schedule through May.
Warner Bros’ long and noirish take on the Caped Crusader — Robert Pattinson stars in the title role, with Paul Dano as the Riddler, Colin Farrell as the Penguin and Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman — has now surpassed US$238 million domestically and US$224 million internationally, more than justifying its US$200 million production budget.
Sony adventure film Uncharted, starring Tom Holland as an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunter, held in second place in its fourth week out, taking in an estimated US$9.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.
In third was a surprising entry. BTS Permission to Dance on Stage: Seoul, from Trafalgar Releasing, earned US$6.8 million to become the top-grossing live cinema event of all time, according to Hollywood Reporter.
Live-event cinema — which started mostly with opera performances — has been gaining popularity.
That knocked Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s road-trip comedy Dog down one spot to fourth; it took in US$5.3 million. Channing Tatum plays an army veteran who drives Lulu, a dog injured while working with the military in Afghanistan, to her former handler’s funeral.
And in fifth was Sony blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home, with US$4.1 million in ticket sales in its 13th week out. With Tom Holland playing the popular web-slinger, the film’s international earnings are nearing US$1.1 billion.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
Death on the Nile (US$2.5 million)
Sing 2 (US$1.6 million)
Jackass Forever (US$1.1 million)
Scream (US$445,000)
Cyrano (US$391,000) — AFP
