Box Office: Dark Knight Rises Expected to Become Biggest 2D Opening Ever
Dark Knight
Following Friday's grisly shooting in Aurora, Colo., The Dark Knight Rises still delivered a recording opening weekend at the box office.
The third and final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, starring Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is estimated to have earned more than $160 million in its opening weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter. However, out of respect for the victims of Friday's massacre, none of the Hollywood studios will release final numbers until Monday.
Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway speak out about Dark Knight Rises shooting
If true, The Dark Knight Rises is the best 2D opening of any film and the third all-time highest domestic film opening behind only The Avengers ($207.4 million) and the final Harry Potter film ($169.2 million), both of which were also released in 3D. The Dark Knight Rises also topped 2008's The Dark Knight's opening weekend haul of $158.4 million.
Days after the tragic shooting, which killed 12 and injured 58, cops gained access to shooter James Holmes' booby-trapped apartment Sunday, which reportedly contained a Batman mask, a Batman poster and other Batman paraphernalia, according to The Los Angeles Times. Several of The Dark Knight Rises international premieres were canceled in the wake of the tragedy and stars Bale and Hathaway released statements, in addition to Nolan's remarks on behalf of the cast.