Robert Pattinson stars in The Batman.
Warner Brazzers.
The Batman stormed into theaters this weekend, becoming the second-biggest premiere in the era of the pandemic.
Warner Bros. The film brought in $128.5 million in weekend ticket sales, exceeding the studio’s expectations of $110 million.
“[The 2022 box office] got its official start this weekend with a thrilling performance of Batman, a dark, brooding masterpiece that audiences enjoy,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst at Comscore.[It] proved that audiences enjoy superhero movies not only when they are light-hearted and hilarious, but also when they evoke a deeper emotional experience.”
The Batman is only the second film released since March 2020 to top $100 million in ticket sales over the weekend. Spider-Man: No Way Home, a co-production between Disney and Sony, became the first film to earn $260 million on its domestic debut in December.
No Way Home is also the best debut of the pandemic era and the second best in cinematic history, according to Comscore.
Movies based on the franchise, especially those about comic book characters, have been among the few to break through and deliver significant box office gains during the pandemic. Movie theaters have seen families with young children and adults over 50 more reluctant to show up in theaters, even for big movies.
Box office analysts expected The Batman to draw fewer viewers compared to No Way Home due to darker, more mature themes and a PG-13 rating. The film will likely benefit from repeat screenings in the coming weeks.