Despite not-so-favourable reviews, hot takes left, right, and center, and a pretty messy execution, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice grossed an impressive $82 million across 4242 movie theaters on Good Friday. The latest offering from Warner Bros. and DC Comics is an effort to expand the cinematic universe and compete with Marvel and Sony’s vast success.
It serves as a sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel, where Batman blaming Superman for mass casualties in the last movie results in a superhero civil war. Ben Affleck stars as Batman, while Henry Cavill reprises his role as Superman, alongside Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Gal Gardot as Wonder Woman, who will star in her character’s eponymous movie next year.
The movie cost $250 million to make before marketing and this investment might pay off in a huge way for Warner Bros. and DC Comics. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this unprecedented success may result in a humongous $172 million gross through to Easter Sunday, which would make it the fourth highest grossing opening for a comic book adaption and the sixth highest opening for any film.
In fact, it would surpass the opening weekend of previous Batman film The Dark Knight Rises, which earned $160.9 million. Additionally, it may break The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s record for the highest pre-summer debut, which was $152.2 million, and it has already beat out Fast and Furious 7’s $15.8 millionas the highest Easter pre-show grossing ever with $27.7 million in earnings.
