Page 12 - aruba-today-20220307

a12 people & arts
Monday 7 March 2022
‘The Batman’ gives movie theaters a

new hope with big launch

several times due in part to
COVID-related production
shutdowns. The film cost
around $200 million to pro-
duce, not to mention the
millions spent on market-
ing and distribution. And
a lot is riding on “The Bat-
man,” with future films and
an HBO Max spinoff series
both planned.
As the omicron variant
surged in December, War-
ner Bros. was faced once
more with a hard decision:
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Zoe Kravitz, Delay the release further
left, and Robert Pattinson in a scene from “The Batman.” or commit to the March
Associated Press opening. Under the advice
By LINDSEY BAHR told, by the close of Friday, of epidemiologists, in Janu-
AP Film Writer “The Batman” had already ary they decided to go for-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bat- grossed $57 million. No oth- ward and start spending
man has his fair share of er major studio dared com- significant money on mar-
pressures, from saving Go- pete with their own new keting. “We knew the mov-
tham to saving movie the- film. Internationally, “The ie was exceptional. We
aters. And while they’re Batman” earned $120 mil- knew fans would embrace
both still decidedly works lion, bringing its global to- it. But we didn’t know
in progress, “The Batman,” tal to $248.5 million. Warner what the pandemic would
starring Robert Pattinson, Bros. halted its release in hold,” said Jeff Goldstein,
managed to give a little Russia following the coun- Warner Bros.’ president of
glimmer of hope to both try’s invasion of Ukraine, domestic distribution. “The-
by grossing $128.5 million in saying that the company ater owners really stepped
North America, according would monitor the situation up and showed their show-
to studio estimates Sunday. as it evolves. Many major manship ... it was really a
The latest relaunch of the studios made similar deci- collective win.”
80-year-old comic book sions with their films. “The Batman” is also the first
character is well above Reviews have been largely movie in over a year that
Warner Bros.’ conservative positive for this new itera- Warner Bros. has released
estimates going into the tion of the caped crusad- exclusively in theaters. In
weekend, which had the er. Director Matt Reeves 2021, the studio adopted a
film pegged for a debut in and co-writer Peter Craig hybrid release strategy de-
the $90 million range. It’s set “The Batman” in Bruce buting films from “Dune” to
the best opening of 2022 Wayne’s second year of “Suicide Squad” in theaters
and the second best of donning the cape. Corrup- and on HBO Max simulta-
the pandemic, though it’s tion is rampant in Gotham neously, which may have
more than $100 million shy and some well-known helped streaming subscrip-
of “Spider-Man: No Way villains are not yet fully tions, but not the box office
Home’s” still unbelievable formed, but there’s a se- or movie theaters.
$260 million opening week- rial killer afoot and Pattin- “The box office is back with
end in December. son’s Batman and Gordon, a vengeance,” said Paul
“The Batman” opened this played by Jeffrey Wright, Dergarabedian, Com-
weekend exclusively in are on a mission to find the score’s senior media ana-
theaters in 4,217 locations mysterious Riddler (Paul lyst. “This is a real turning
on over 12,500 screens in Dano). point for the industry. The
North America. There were It’s been a long road for box office year has been
some fan events on Tues- “The Batman” to make it to moving in fits and starts.
day and Wednesday lead- theaters. The original plan There have been some
ing into Thursday pre-shows was for it come out in June solid performances but
in about 3,300 locations. All 2021, but that was pushed no blockbuster breakout
opener in 2022. This is great
for movie theaters.”
So how does Pattinson’s
stack up against his prede-
cessors? It’s the fourth big-
gest opening for a Batman
movie in North America.
As far as lifetime profits,
only time will tell, but Bat-
man as a $1 billion fran-
chise is a relatively recent
phenomenon.q