As a whole, the theatrical industry is still a long way away from returning to pre-pandemic glory days, but The Batman is nonetheless giving business a major shot in the arm by charging towards the second-highest opening weekend we’ve seen since the end of 2019.
After surpassing initial estimates, Matt Reeves’ reboot is on the way to a $120 million domestic debut, and it’s poised to bring in just as much (if not more) from international markets. The combination of a pop culture icon headlining their first solo movie in a decade, coupled with critical acclaim and audience anticipation, has set Robert Pattinson’s debut as the Dark Knight up for a hefty run in theaters.
Despite the continued struggles facing big screens, history has already shown that a big budget comic book adaptation is a foolproof method of putting butts in seats. The Suicide Squad bombing last summer is the exception that proves the rule, because it’s no coincidence that five of the nine top-earning Hollywood titles to arrive during 2021 were all superhero blockbusters.
The Batman is the first DC film to hit big since Joker landed in October 2019, ending the studio’s three-film losing streak that encompassed Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, and the aforementioned Suicide Squad sequel, so there’s plenty of reasons for Warner Bros. to be celebrating right now after the Caped Crusader’s latest reinvention exploded out of the gate.