The Batman Soars with a Blockbuster $128.5 Million Debut
by Chris Nashawaty - Box Office News
March 6, 2022


That strange sound you may have heard over the weekend? Turns out it was all the sighs of relief coming from the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles. The studio scored a massive victory as the latest reboot of its beloved caped-crusader franchise, The Batman, bowed to a record-setting $128.5 million at the North American box office.

Despite a three-hour running time, yet another new face underneath the cape and cowl, and a darker, moodier tone, the inaugural outing of Robert Pattinson’s haunted Gotham avenger instantly took its place as the first official blockbuster of 2022 — not to mention the new runner-up to Spider-Man: No Way Home and its $260.1 million as the second-biggest domestic opening of the pandemic era.







Unspooling in 4,417 theaters, it was obvious as early as Friday that The Batman would be the owner of the biggest box-office bow of 2022. Pre-weekend projections had it as the first movie of the year that would cross the $100 million threshold during its first frame.

But its final tally of $128.5 million matched only the most bullish of predictions. Despite its lengthy running time, the PG-13-rated tentpole snagged an impressive $29,092 per-screen average and seemed to click with both ticket buyers (who rewarded it with an ‘A-‘ CinemaScore grade) and critics (who gave it an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes) — a nice bounce-back from the recent Ben Affleck-as-Batman outings.

As for who made up The Batman’s audience, more than 65% of the opening weekend crowd was male, and more than 60% fell between the ages of 18-34.




Fans will not be able to watch the film on the HBO Max streaming service until it’s been on big screens for 45 days.

The film fared solidly overseas as well, taking in $120 million in 74 foreign territories, bringing its total first-week global cume to $248.5 million (IMAX screens accounted for $22.3 million of the film’s worldwide haul).







Finishing in the runner-up spot was Sony’s treasure-hunting adventure Uncharted. The PG-13-rated film starring Tom Holland racked up $11 million in its third frame — a drop-off of -52.2% from the previous weekend.

Playing in 3,875 theaters, Uncharted scored a $2,838 per-screen average. Its total domestic tally inched past the $100 million marker and now stands at $100.3 million. The movie has fared even better overseas, piling on another $171.3 million so far, bringing its current global haul to $271.6 million.

That number should be goosed even higher when the film is finally unveiled in China on March 14.







In third place, Channing Tatum’s Dog kept finding more box-office kibble to feast on, pulling in another $6 million in its third weekend—a dip of 40.6% from the previous frame.

United Artists’ feel-good, PG-13-rated tale of an Army Ranger who travels cross-country with a military canine to attend the funeral of its former handler played at 3,507 locations and managed a $1,720 per-screen average.

So far, Dog has dug up $40 million in North America and $4.9 million overseas (where it got a later start), putting its worldwide cume at $44.9 million.







In fourth was Spider-Man: No Way Home — a movie that has not seen what the world beyond the top five looks like since it debuted three months ago.

Sony’s superhero smash earned $4.4 million over the weekend, a minor drop from the prior weekend of just -24.2%. In its twelfth week in multiplexes, the PG-13-rated Tom Holland-starrer earned a $1,624 per-screen average at 2,709 locations.

The film’s domestic total is now $786.5 million. Internationally, No Way Home has piled up an eye-popping $1.08 billion so far, putting its worldwide cumulative haul at just under $1.87 billion.







Rounding out the top five was 20th Century Studios’ Death on the Nile with $2.7 million in its fourth weekend. The Kenneth Branagh film had a $1,063 per-screen average at 2,565 locations.

The PG-13-rated whodunit has racked up $37.1 million in North America to date and an additional $68.4 million internationally, putting its four-week worldwide cume at $105.5 million.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3731948548/?ref_=bo_hm_hp







March 4-6, 2022: Weekend Studio Estimates

1. The Batman $128,500,000
2. Uncharted $11,000,000 / $100,276,384
3. Dog $6,034,481 / $40,007,274
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home $4,400,000 / $786,488,223
5. Death on the Nile $2,727,000 / $37,094,747
6. Sing 2 $1,520,000 / $153,568,760
7. Jackass Forever $1,360,000 / $54,452,006
8. Cyrano $683,607 / $2,575,557
9. Gangubai Kathiawadi $592,000
10. Scream $570,000 / $80,225,807

The Batman Holds Top Spot in 2nd Weekend with $66 Million
by Chris Nashawaty - Box Office News
March 13, 2022


The Caped Crusader isn’t just cleaning up Gotham these days, he’s also cleaning up in cities from coast to coast as the Dark Knight’s latest big-screen outing, The Batman, easily held onto the top spot in its second weekend of release thanks to a lack of major new competition.

Raking in $66 million in its sophomore frame, Warner Bros.’ bruise-black reboot featuring Robert Pattinson beneath the cowl continued to draw impressive audiences a week after the movie came out of the gate as the second-biggest North American debut of the pandemic era — behind only fellow comic-book crimefighter Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.







Playing in 4,417 theaters, the PG-13-rated tentpole managed a robust $14,942 per-screen average. The Batman’s second week take fell -50.7% from the previous weekend, but as hefty as that sounds, it’s actually not as steep of a drop-off as most recent superhero movies.

Despite the flick’s lengthy, three-hour running time, it has already racked up $238.5 million domestically. One reason for the film’s brisk business may be the fact that it is Warner Bros.’ first theatrical exclusive since Christopher Nolan’s Tenet back in September 2020.

(It will be available on HBO Max in 45 days)



The Batman continued to clean up overseas as well, pulling in $224.7 million in its first ten days, bringing its two-week global cume to $463.2 million.

It is scheduled to be released in the lucrative Chinese marketplace on March 18.







In the runner-up spot once again was Sony’s adaptation of the treasure-hunting videogame, Uncharted. The PG-13-rated film starring Spidey star Tom Holland took in just under $9.3 million in its fourth frame — a drop-off of -16.7% from the prior weekend.

Playing in 3,725 theaters, Uncharted scored a $2,483 per-screen average. Its total domestic tally now stands at a hair less than $113.4 million. The movie continues to perform even better overseas, where it has piled on an additional $187.9 million so far, bringing its current global take to $301.3 million.

That number should be goosed even higher when Uncharted finally gets unveiled in China this week.







Third place provided the weekend’s only real surprise — although it probably won’t come as much of a surprise if you have a music-loving tween living under your roof.

Trafalgar Releasing’s concert event, BTS: Permission to Dance on Stage — Seoul: Live Viewing, a live-stream of one the hit K-pop band BTS’ sold-out shows in its homeland, scored a massive $6.8 million in 803 North American theaters on Saturday night (and Saturday night only), translating to an $8,500 per-screen average.

No doubt accompanied by shrieks and hysteria, the film pocketed $36.2 million in 3,711 venues worldwide. We’re going to step out on a limb and predict that these BTS fellas might have a bright future.







In fourth, Channing Tatum’s Dog kept barking with $5.3 million in its fourth weekend—a dip of 12.6% from the previous frame.

United Artists’ feel-good, PG-13-rated tale of an army ranger who travels cross-country with a military canine to attend the funeral of its former handler played at 3,407 locations and scored a $1,569 per-screen average.

So far, Dog has dug up $47.8 million in North America and $6.4 million overseas (where it got a later start), putting its worldwide cume at $54.2 million.







Last but not least in fifth place was Spider-Man: No Way Home, which miraculously has still not finished outside of the top five since it debuted thirteen weeks ago.

Sony’s superhero sensation tacked on $4.1 million over the weekend, a minor adjustment of just -9.8% from the previous session. In its third month in multiplexes, the PG-13-rated Tom Holland-starrer earned a $1,508 per-screen average at 2,702 locations.

The film’s North American box office total is now $792.3 million. Overseas, No Way Home has stacked up a colossal $1.08 billion so far, putting its worldwide cumulative haul at just under $1.88 billion.







Finally, with the Oscars set to air on March 27, movie fans seem to be playing catch-up to see some of the more talked-about nominees before the statuettes are handed out.

For example, this weekend three contenders in the top 20 saw week-over-week boosts in ticket sales:


No. 12 Licorice Pizza popped +14%
No. 14 Belfast jumped +9.4%
No. 16 Drive My Car got a +8.1% nudge.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3698394116/?ref_=bo_hm_hp







March 11-13, 2022: Weekend Studio Estimates

1. The Batman $66,511,221 / $239,032,047
2. Uncharted $9,252,677 / $113,358,467
3. BTS Permission to Dance on Stage - Seoul: Live Viewing $6,840,000
4. Dog $5,212,197 / $47,669,299
5. Spider-Man: No Way Home $4,050,047 / $792,261,001
6. Death on the Nile $2,425,894 / $40,722,468
7. Radhe Shyam $1,860,000
8. Sing 2 $1,606,270 / $155,851,270
9. Jackass Forever $1,088,899 / $56,270,086
10. Scream $469,394 / $80,929,683

The Batman Three-peats at #1, Flies Past $300M at Domestic Box Office
by Chris Nashawaty - Box Office News
March 20, 2022


Robert Pattinson’s The Batman continued to soar over both Gotham and the nation’s multiplexes for the third consecutive weekend, taking the No. 1 spot yet again with a muscular $36.8 million haul that pushed the latest outing from the Caped Crusader past the $300 million mark in North America.

Meanwhile some fresh competition from the lower-profile worlds of anime and indie horror finally helped to nudge Sony’s blockbuster, Spider-Man: No Way Home, out of the top five for the first time in three and a half months.







Playing in 4,302 theaters, Warner Bros.’ dark, PG-13-rated superhero spectacular scored a strong $8,554 per-screen average in its third frame — a drop-off of -44.7% from the previous weekend.

Despite the flick’s lengthy, three-hour running time and bruise-black tone, it has managed to rack up $300.1 million domestically to date, making it only the second film to accomplish that feat since the pandemic began, following No Way Home.

One reason for the film’s robust business may be that it is Warner Bros.’ first theatrical exclusive since Christopher Nolan’s Tenet back in September 2020.




The movie,continued to clean up internationally as well, pulling in $298 million so far. Still, that foreign number was expected to be bigger since the film finally debuted in the lucrative Chinese market over the weekend.

However, a recent spike in COVID cases there, which has closed around 30% of China’s movie theaters, resulted in an underwhelming $12.1 million in receipts there. Nevertheless, The Batman’s three-week global cume now stands at $598.1 million.







In the runner-up spot was the weekend’s biggest out-of-left-field shocker, FUNimation’s Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie.

The PG-13-rated anime title about a cursed spirit and a high school for sorcery bowed to a jaw-dropping $14.8 million in North America, racking up a $6,482 per-screen average at 2,286 locations.

It has pulled in $17.7 million domestically so far.




Jujutsu’s success is the latest proof that the anime audience is bigger than many in Hollywood previously thought, especially coming on the heels of the same studio’s $21.2 million opening for Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train back in April 2021.

Overseas, Jujutsu has taken in $112.1 million, putting the domestic sleeper’s combined global haul at $129.8 million.







While Tom Holland saw one film bounced from the top five over the weekend (that would be Spidey), the young star was still a dominant presence closer to the top of the box office thanks to the continued success of Uncharted, which landed in third place with $8 million.

Sony’s PG-13-rated action-adventure videogame adaptation slipped just -13% in its fifth weekend, earning a $2,162 per-screen average in 3,700 theaters. To date, Uncharted has pulled in $125.9 million domestically and has tacked on an even-mightier $211.4 million internationally.

Its combined worldwide gross now sits at $337.3 million.







In fourth was the weekend’s only other rookie in the top five — Ti West’s indie horror film X — which scared up $4.4 million its opening session.

The latest from West, the acclaimed writer-director of such low-budget chillers as House of the Devil, earned a $1,538 per-screen average in 2,865 theaters over its freshman frame.




The R-rated homage to such ‘70s horror classics as Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre follows an adult-film crew (including Mia Goth and Brittany Snow) as they attempt to make their latest naughty Me Decade opus on a creepy farm in one of the more abandoned corners of the Lone Star state.

The movie, which is riding positive buzz out of the South by Southwest Festival and a 95% fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, has not opened yet internationally.







Rounding out the top five was Channing Tatum’s Dog, which took in $4.1 million in its fifth weekend, slipping 21.4% from the previous frame.

United Artists’ feel-good, PG-13-rated tale of an army ranger who travels cross-country with a military canine to attend the funeral of its former handler unspooled at 3,307 locations and scored a $1,238 per-screen average.

So far, Dog has dug up $54.2 million in North America and $7.9 million overseas (where it got a later start), putting its worldwide cume at $62.1 million.







Spider-Man: No Way Home landed just outside of the top five in sixth place. The superhero mega-hit tacked on another $3.2 million in North America over the weekend, but there’s no reason to shed a tear for Spidey.

To date, No Way Home has racked up a staggering $1.88 billion worldwide, including $797.5 million on the domestic front, where it is now poised to become just the third movie of all time to pass the $800 million barrier following Avengers: Endgame ($858.4 million) and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens ($936.7 million).







Finally, a small handful of indies entered further down on the charts over the weekend.

Focus Features’ Mark Rylance-starring mob tale, The Outfit, landed in eighth place with $1.5 million.

Zee Studios’ Hindi-language historical drama The Kashmir Files bowed in ninth with a hair under $1.5 million.

Stage 6 Films’ Sandra Oh supernatural thriller Umma finished in eleventh place with $915,000.

Roadside Attractions’ Keke Palmer-led time-jumping race-revenge film, Alice, debuted in twelfth place with $176,120.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3664839684/?ref_=bo_hm_hp







March 18-20, 2022: Weekend Studio Estimates

1. The Batman $36,723,197 / $300,014,069
2. Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie $14,818,624
3. Uncharted $7,827,317 / $125,722,674
4. X $4,407,750
5. Dog $3,995,790 / $54,127,363
6. Spider-Man: No Way Home $3,141,435 / $797,484,988
7. Death on the Nile $1,652,805 / $43,527,304
8. The Outfit $1,499,730
9. The Kashmir Files $1,485,000
10. Sing 2 $1,450,675 / $158,440,715