The Batman box office is off to a heroic start with an estimated $258.2 million worldwide from 75 markets! The film started playing around the world on March 1st and opened in North America on March 3rd.
The Warner Bros. Pictures release received an A- CinemaScore from audiences and should have a healthy road ahead.
Domestically, The Batman box office total is up to $134 million since debuting in 4,417 theaters. The Batman is one of only two movies that have opened over $100 million since December 2019.
$15 million of the North American total came from 405 IMAX locations. It’s the second-highest IMAX domestic opened weekend ever in March, the third-highest IMAX domestic DC opening, and the fourth-highest IMAX domestic opening ever for Warner Bros.
“From director Matt Reeves tweeting photos of his post-production session in IMAX offices to last week’s IMAX-exclusive fan event, ‘The Batman’ offers an excellent playbook on how creators and content owners can wield the power of IMAX to successfully launch events,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
“In its first theatrical exclusive blockbuster release in more than a year, Warner Bros. proved the power of a theatrical-first approach and that great execution on a creative launch plan is the best way to drive long-term value.”
Internationally, the film has brought in $124.2 million, with $7.3 million of that figure coming from 320 IMAX screens in 74 overseas markets. It marks the biggest international opening of 2022 and the biggest Warner Bros. opening weekend since Joker.
The top international markets include the UK ($18.1 million), Mexico ($12.1 million), Australia ($9.3 million), Brazil ($8.8 million), France ($8.4 million), Germany ($5.5 million), Korea ($4.3 million), Italy ($4.2 million), Spain ($3.8 million), and India ($3.5 million).
From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.
More than a year of stalking the streets as the Batman (Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City.
With only a few trusted allies — Alfred (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) — amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens.
When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), Oz, aka The Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka The Riddler (Paul Dano).
As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.
Also starring alongside Pattinson (Tenet, The Lighthouse) as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Interrogation) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson and Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál.
Reeves (the Planet of the Apes franchise) directed from a screenplay by Reeves & Peter Craig, based on characters from DC. Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Dylan Clark (the Planet of the Apes films) and Reeves produced the film, with Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, and Simon Emanuel serving as executive producers.
The movie’s behind-the-scenes creative team included Oscar-nominated director of photography Greig Fraser (Dune, Lion); Reeves’ Planet of the Apes production designer James Chinlund and editor William Hoy; editor Tyler Nelson (Rememory); and Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (1917, Little Women, Anna Karenina).
The 6th & Idaho/Dylan Clark Productions production is set to open in theaters in North America on March 4, 2022 and internationally beginning 2 March 2022.
The Batman is rated PG-13 by the MPA for strong, violent, and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.