Standing resolute in the face of heavy criticism, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice debuted to a strong opening weekend across the globe last week, going on to become the biggest March opening with $166 million at the domestic box office.
That streak came to an unceremonious end, however, when box office figures dipped a remarkable 66 percent during the film’s second weekend, and that’s without fending off any notable competition. Nonetheless, Warner Bros. issued a response to the steep drop-off, stating simply that it’s “not concerned.”
[zerg]That’s according to Warner’s domestic distribution chief Jeff Goldstein, who took the positives from Dawn of Justice‘s sophomore weekend run, where Zack Snyder’s tentpole took in $52 million in total.
We’re not concerned with the drop. No matter how you slice it, to get to $52 million on any given weekend is an enormous accomplishment. We’re most focused on where we are in total. And our global number is huge.
Currently simmering just below $700 million worldwide, it would be foolish to label Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice as an out-an-out financial dud; rather, Snyder’s sprawling feature failed to meet Warner’s internal expectations. Whether it stands as a competent film regardless of box office turnover, however, is something we’ll leave to you.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently in theaters. As for Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader, it would appear the actor is quietly assembling a Batman solo movie to direct and star in, even if it isn’t likely to swoop onto the big screen for some time yet.