with the imax screenings, do they figure into the overall box office?

I like your website

My office is a box. Emotionally speaking that is.

Literally speaking I work at a supermarket.

A girlfriend at work is seeing the 3AM and 11:59PM on the 18th and the 9PM on the 19th, all IMAX. (I'm only doing the 11:59PM with her.)

W T F

Begins was good... OK, better than many, but is this seriously worth every ounce of hype it's getting?

is a 100 alot? It doesnt sound alot if you considered every theatre in the U.S. and then multiple screens or showings per theatre?

100 is a lot for 2 weeks before the movie comes out.

OMFG!! i can´t wait till 18th.....this movie is for an IMAX

Performances? What is it, a play?

So I better dont see it, unless is IMAX ? I'm worried this movie is going to suck in normal screenings

Omaha, the largest city in Nebraska, has an IMAX, but it can only run 45 minute movies. This state hates to do anything progressive unless it can help the football team. I hate this place.

This movie is going to be a monster.

Got mine already. Thank god. Can't wait for this movie. It will be a force. I can feel it.

it will bring people together

it will unite nations

it will be a phenomenon

it will bring about world peace

albert:

in montana we dont have an imax unless you count the one in Yellowstone park that shows a movie about geysers all the time...talk about progressive

or how about the largest city where i live [billings;100,00people] just got its first 'roundabout' intersection and everyone freaked out for fear of difficulty...

ya so at least you live somewhere modern





in other news: i am stoked

My theater isn't an IMAX theater, but I figure I have two weeks to make it into one. With or without the consent of the theater owners.

Wish me luck.

100 is nothing. This film is opening on 4000 screens, with each screen having multiple showings over the course of the weekend. Let's say there are three screenings a day for nine screenings each screen over the three days of the weekend (it's low, but this is a long movie), that means there will be about THIRTY SIX THOUSAND showings opening weekend. I think that means less than one percent of screenings opening weekend have sold out (math isn't my strongest suit, so my percentages may be off here).

woah

Devin, we're 16 days out. I'm sure 99.9999% of movies don't have 5 sold out screenings at two weeks before release. Yes, 100 is small in comparison to the full number of playdates, but I'm sure after opening weekend is done, that number will be much more impressive. Idunno, I still find the number impressive this far in advance of the release. I hear TDK is still selling more tickets than Spider-Man 3 was at the same advance date.

Any sold out screening is great. Ignoring the fact that the press releases we all get every week from movietickets.com and fandango and whoever else are essentially empty and don't represent real statistical meaning and are just attempts to get us to mention their ticket selling websites on our sites, these numbers are still not really indicating anything to me.

First up, half the tickets are for IMAX, which has been historically super-strong in presales for blockbusters. The other half, about 50 screenings, pretty much account for extraordinary hardcore fans, of which there was never a doubt this movie would have plenty.

TDK WILL be the #1 movie of the weekend by a wide margin, it WILL be one of the biggest movies of the year and it will likely outgross BATMAN BEGINS by 20 or 30 million, a huge victory for any sequel. But I don't think overhyping the film with numbers that aren't as impressive or jaw dropping as they sound is going to do the movie any favors.

Wow, it's Devin from CHUD.COM

Devin, You no doubt bring up some good points. I'm with you, the film probably won't do record breaking numbers, but it will surpass Begins.

And yes, the sole purpose of a press release from fandango or movietickets is to get a mention, and maybe sell some tickets. But its not much different than the stories that Studios hand over to Variety and THR, that we later report on. The whole purpose is promotion.

The only reason I passed these numbers along is because I personally thought they were impressive and worth noting. Even if all the ticket sales are attributed to fanboys, it seems like an abnormal number worth mentioning. It will also be interesting to compare these numbers to future comic book and sci-fi releases (as I'm sure movietickets and fandango will continue with the releases). I also think it is important to hammer home to readers that they need to see this film in IMAX, and I thought the story offered a nice segway to relaying that point once again.

Devin seems to be smart guy and I like the majority of his work on chud.com, although he's a bit condescending. Or at least, he comes off as being so in his writing.

it will break records

it will end all our problems

Devin brings up great points, not just about expectations for TDK, but blogging in general. However, surveying the people around me, I can tell you this movie is going to do epic effing business. Way more than $20-30 million more than Batman Begins. People KNOW this is the big ONE of summer '08. We'll remember this shit for years to come.

Pfff just bought my tickets online for IMAX theatre! Release = July 24th in The Netherlands ffs :/

"The Netherlands" sry

Myself and 20 of my friends are all going Saturday morning...driving 45 minutes to the IMAX, paid $17 a ticket.

I bought 3 tickets online at 8 bucks a pop. IMAX tickets, albeit for the matinee but shouldn't they cost more? oh welp I'll make up for it in gas.

If the movie is as good as all the buzz says, it shouldn't need IMAX. A good movie should be a good movie even on a 19" CRT from 20 years ago.

I'm all booked up! I cant believe I have to wait another 3 weeks- Stupid England.

@ albert brodsky

if you live in omaha check out the Star Cinema 16 in Council Bluffs, IA...last i checked they have an IMAX and are showing the dark knight on it 350 max capacity seating i believe

oh and $12.50 a ticket too i think

evan,

While you're correct. Nolan did film most of the action, the Joker, and city scape scenes using Imax cameras. So the picture will look a lot better on an Imax screen for those scenes.

I don't care if I see this on a DLP or Imax screen. I just want to see it either way :D

I'm actually not surprised this movie is doing so well... the advertising has been incredible.

So, Nikki Finke is reporting the prediction for Hancock is around $100 mill for the July 4 weekend. If that's anywhere near true, TDK should take in around $150 million according to my (amazingly prescient) estimate.

Now I'm concerned........=) The only thing my city has is a omnimax theater (Which is basically a round I-max) and it can't show regular Imax movies. So, here's the problem. I live in Texas. Now, that means i have 6-7 Imax theaters in the state alone but, that also means the closet one is 600 miles away. I'm between a rock and a hard place. Should i really try to go see at the Imax? Is it worth 200$ or 300$ of gas. Is the regular theater actually that bad, or should I just go fuck myself and go to Dallas/San Antonio/Austin. Please! Somebody console me!!!

Ok. Slight exaggeration on the price of gas. It equals out to like 160$ for To and Fro. Still, is it worth it?

@ the Cheat

Man you're lucky. I wish I had 20 friends to go with. But I got my ticket anyway for IMAX rather if anyone comes with me or not.

@Jay: 600 miles? You are aware that you will be driving for 8 hours if you are going 75mph, plus 8 hours back...

The Force is strong with this one...

@ Jay

Austin's midnight showing sold out.

my imax was sold out at midmight and i couldn't see it 3 hours later, i would die!!
so i bought tickets for the regular one on opening night,
i'll go back for imax another time.

it will be good either way i think though.

i love you, christian bale and christopher nolan.you guys make my world go round!

You dont HAVE to see this film in IMAX. Ive read a lot saying they need to see this film in IMAX. YOU DO NOT! Yes, it will be spectacular in IMAX though the film will be just as good looking in a regular theater. In fact the IMAX scenes in a regular theater will look amazing because of the enhanced clarity.

I think there is confusion that if you dont see it in IMAX it wont be good or something? I'm gonna see it in a regular theater and then If I like it I will travel to see it in IMAX.

So for those of you who do not have an IMAX around, dont worry this movie will look good regardless where it is shown.

Allen: You don't have to see it in IMAX, but I have seen the movie and will tell you, the IMAX version is amazing. I wouldn't see it on a normal movie screen if I had the choice.

And yes, this film will be huge. $130 Million OW is my prediction, though the sky is the limit. Will we know more as we inch closer to the release.

Thanks Peter, I would be seeing it in IMAX first if the nearest IMAX showing for TDK wasn't 3 hours away. I expect to like TDK just as I did Begins, and if that is the case I will not miss it in IMAX. So Im assured that my second viewing will more than likely be in IMAX.

BTW, Devin big fan of CHUD and I appreciate your reviews. You have a great writing style and you really do nail down a lot of great points in most of your reviews. However, I think that some of the negativity shown to "fanboys" of Batman is a little misguided. I think it would be far more professional for you leave some of your opinions of fans at the door and save your opinion of TDK for your review. I don't see some of the bigger name critics trying to derail the hype for TDK. This thing is bigger than all of us, theres no stopping it now.

Do you guys have VMAX in the US? In Australia, Village Cinemas built these big ole supersized domestic theatre screens. Anyway, my tix are booked. Cannot wait.

Way to go Hunter on calling that one. I find it hilarious how far off the mark Devin was. "It will likely outgross BATMAN BEGINS by 20 or 30 million..."

Hilarious.