"The Dark Knight Rises" was the top winner at the weekend box office for the second straight weekend, making just over $64 million. In spite of ranking first, it is earning less than its 2008 predecessor, "The Dark Knight."
The final installment in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy saw its ticket sales tumble 60 percent from its opening weekend of $160.9 million to $64.1 million during its second weekend in theaters, according to an estimate Sunday from distributor Warner Bros.
By comparison, "The Dark Knight" took a 53 percent drop in its second weekend with a gross of nearly $75.2 million and a 10-day cumulative gross of $313.8 million.
"The Dark Knight Rises" has now collected $289.1 million in the United States and Canada - roughly $25 million less than "The Dark Knight" made during the same time period in 2008 despite lower ticket prices. IMAX continues to add to the bottom line with $9 million plus giant screen dollars this weekend and $38 million to date since the trilogy-ender's North American debut.
The movie has received strong reviews; however the difference could be largely due to the Aurora, Colorado massacre that took place July 20, when a gunman opened fired during a post-midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises." According to the LA Times, Hollywood research firm NRG reported that 20 percent of potential moviegoers were reluctant to head to theaters.
Here is the top 5 for the weekend box office:
1. The Dark Knight Rises - $64,075,000 weekend (60% drop) / $289,086,000 to date
2. Ice Age: Continental Drift - $13,300,000 / $114,847,214 to date
3. The Watch - $13,000,000
4. Step Up Revolution - $11,800,000
5. Ted - $7,353,150/ $193,618,750 to date
Debuting this weekend is "The Watch" from Twentieth Century Fox, starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill. This sci-fi comedy follows a group of dads who form a neighborhood watch committee to break up their monotonous daily routine, but unexpectedly find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion. The R-rated comedy wound up with a $13 million gross this weekend.
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