The Dark Knight Rises might have soared to the top of the box office for the second consecutive weekend, but the Batman film is still falling behind its predecessor.
The final instalment in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy saw its ticket sales tumble 60 per cent to $64.1 million during its second weekend in theatres, according to an estimate Sunday from distributor Warner Bros. The film has now collected $289.1 million in the United States and Canada - roughly $25 million less than The Dark Knight made during the same time period in 2008 despite lower ticket prices.
Given that the film notched an excellent A grade with opening weekend moviegoers and earned strong critical reviews, the difference in receipts could be due largely to the Aurora, Colorado, massacre. A week after a gunman opened fire during a post midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises on July 20, Hollywood research firm NRG reported that 20 per cent of potential moviegoers were reluctant to head to theatres.
Two other movies struggled upon their debuts at the box office this weekend. The Watch, an R-rated comedy starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, started off with a disappointing $13 million. And though Step Up Revolution, the fourth entry in the dance franchise, was made for less money than The Watch, its $11.8-million launch was unimpressive.
Ticket sales were down 25 per cent compared with the same three-day period in 2011. Many in Hollywood said the start of the Olympics this weekend also may have affected box office receipts.
Although The Dark Knight Rises is lagging behind the 2008 Batman film at the domestic box office, it has a chance to surpass the second instalment overseas. This weekend, the new movie starring Christian Bale as the superhero played in 57 foreign countries and grossed $122.1 million, raising its international total to $248.2 million.
