Arizona Tribune - Newest 'Batman' soars to huge opening in N.American theaters

The latest in a growing collection of Batman films -- this one a particularly gloomy version, starring English actor Robert Pattinson -- took in an estimated $128.5 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, Exhibitor Relations reported. The movie cost an estimated $200 million to produce.

Sony's "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is the only other pandemic-era film to surpass the $100 million mark in its opening weekend, analysts said. It logged a resounding $260 million in ticket sales when it opened in December.

"The Batman" has the Caped Crusader tracking down a serial killer (Paul Dano) while battling crime, corruption -- and his own demons. It also stars Zoe Kravitz, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis and Colin Farrell.

Sony adventure film "Uncharted," starring Tom Holland as an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunter, slipped from chart-topper to a distant second, taking in $11 million -- even as its domestic total passed $100 million.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer's buddy comedy "Dog" placed third, taking in $6 million. Channing Tatum plays a war-wounded US Army Ranger who agrees to drive Lulu, a dog injured while working with the military in Afghanistan, to her former handler's funeral.

In fourth was persistently popular "Spider-Man," with $4.4 million in domestic ticket sales in its 12th week out. Its international earnings are now just north of $1 billion.

And in fifth, down one spot from last week, was 20th Century's murder mystery "Death on the Nile," at $2.7 million. It stars Kenneth Branagh (who also directs) as the quirky Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this latest take on the 1937 Agatha Christie novel.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Sing 2" ($1.5 million)

"Jackass Forever" ($1.4 million)

"Cyrano" ($683,000)

"Scream" ($570,000)

"Marry Me" ($530,000)

E.Flores--AT