The Dark Knight Sets Monday Box Office Record. Als...

According to Box Office Mojo, The Dark Knight grossed $24.5 million on Monday and set yet another record: biggest non-holiday Monday of all time. On Tuesday, the film grossed $20+ million, coming in second place for Top Tuesday behind Transformers, bringing it to $204 million domestically. The film is scheduled to earn more in its first week than any other film in history. The movie is a flat-out cultural phenomenon. And I’ve talked with a number of people who have overheard odd conversations amongst people waiting on line to see it. Previously, we reported that 64% of moviegoers plan on seeing the film again. But there are a few other moviegoer stats we’d be curious to see, based on things we and others have observed and overheard.


A) The number of people going to see The Dark Knight that do not realize it’s a sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins. For example, this conversation that I overheard: John Doe: “Why is this movie called The Dark Knight and not Batman?” Jane Doe: “I guess there are those three other Batman movies.” Of course, this marks the sixth major Batman film. I guess these moviegoers can be attributed to The Joker factor. (Some would label it the “dumbass factor.” I will not.) So many people equate Batman with The Joker that previous Joker-less efforts fly below their radar. Also, some people are clearly just there for Heath Ledger, others just dig the “dead guy factor.”

B) The number of moviegoers that think the film is a “prequel” to 1989’s Batman, and the number that have only seen the ‘89 and ‘08 films. I’ve talked with people on both coasts who have overheard this misconception at theaters big and small over the weekend, and not just amongst the olds, which is surprising. On Monday’s /filmcast, Kevin Smith added that anticipation for TDK did not surpass that for 1989’s Batman. He then proceeded to offer our staff handjobs, but staying on topic, he has a point—though most 20somethings who experienced both would disagree with him. Tim Burton’s first film and Chris Nolan’s second are being seen the un-geek as related bookends, and in a way those two films define how our culture, films and moviegoers have changed in this time frame. For instance, compare Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale to Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Rachel Dawes. Compare the ‘89 Joker throwing money out to the insatiable, rioting masses to the ‘08 Joker’s boat party, where the masses undergo a post-911 soul search. The gross and steam-wafting streets of ‘89 Gotham to ‘08 Gotham’s sleek, brightly lit modernity (also, poverty free? And with more trustfunders).