The Dark Knight smashes US box office records

While the figures announced at the weekend are strictly box office estimates – and rival studios are already treating them as controversial - The Dark Knight has soared to the top of the US box office, taking in approximately $155.3 million across its launch weekend, smashing the record held by Spider-Man 3 and grabbing the highest opening day total to boot. With success in the handful of overseas markets it has launched with, this looks like being a very profitable summer for Bruce Wayne. That sound you hear? Warners backing up three dump trucks of money to persuade Chris Nolan to make a third film.

The other sound you might be hearing is the singing success of Mamma Mia which was successfully counterprogrammed against the denizens of Gotham City and made $27.6 million, the biggest US opening for a musical. The two new films shoved Hancock down to third, though the superhero movie is still hanging in well after three weeks with $191 taken so far. Journey To The Centre Of The Earth slipped one place also, and has $43 million in the bank. And at fifth, we find Hellboy II, which appears to be faltering badly after that decent first weekend. It dropped 71% in its second week.

At sixth, mean while, Wall-E is showing decent legs, making $182.4 million so far, managing to easily best new arrival Space Chimps, which could only launch at seventh, with $7.3 million. Wanted is at eighth with $123.3 million, while Get Smart is about to leave the charts, landing at ninth with $119.5 million. Finally, bringing up the bottom is Kung Fu Panda, with $206.5 million to date.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

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