The Batman Closes in on $600 Million at Global Box Office

The Batman is nearing the $600 million mark at the worldwide box office. This weekend, the newest Batman movie will cross $300 million domestic, accounting for about half of its worldwide total. The global total comes with a $76.7 million opening in China, which is enough to win the weekend in the region and the best Hollywood opening there in 2022, but still isn't anything inspiring compared to past superhero blockbusters.  The film started strong with the second-biggest opening since the pandemic began, and remained strong in its second weekend. The Batman has earned warm reviews from critics and fans. ComicBook.com's Kofi Outlaw gave the film a 4-out-of-5 review:

"As a reboot, The Batman is a very good re-introduction of the Batman movie franchise, but one that feels like a victim of circumstance. It seems like there was originally a clear deeper thematic point in mind – until the entire world took a chaotic downward spiral. The most we now get from The Batman is a final message of, 'Hey, things are really messed up, but, uh, let's try to help one another, okay?' Given current circumstances around the world (at the time of writing this), maybe that's the only message a superhero movie can manage right now."

The Batman's success could alter the course of Warner Bros. Pictures' future DC Comics movies. "The secret of the movie business is quality. It's the best business strategy for both theatrical motion pictures and superhero movies," Warner Bros. Pictures chairman Toby Emmerich told Deadline following The Batman's opening weekend. "The movies don't have to all have the same tone, or interlock with other DC movies, or have an Easter egg that sets up another film. Quality is the most important factor for a studio, and the biggest thing you can do to influence quality is the filmmaker that you hire."

Warner Bros. is also building a franchise within a franchise around The Batman. A previously announced Gotham City police series will instead focus on Arkham Asylum, and HBO Max ordered a series starring Colin Farrell as The Penguin. 

"We are thrilled to bring audiences a new version of this iconic DC character that they have never seen before. It is incredible to be working with Matt, Dylan and Lauren on continuing this story and to see Colin take his already exceptional performance in The Batman to the next level," said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max.

Matt Reeves directed The Batman. Robert Pattinson stars as Bruce Wayne,  with Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as the Riddler, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, and Barry Keoghan as a surprising mystery character. The film is playing now in theaters.