With all that has taken place over the past few months regarding Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, the average moviegoer could be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed. Even among blockbusters, it’s rare for a production to produce such a buzz on so many different levels beyond the actual movie itself.
It’s fair to say that much of the hubbub surrounding Batman V Superman thus far has had more than its fair share of acrimony and strife. There remains a strong divide between those who love the movie and those who don’t, and every new bit of news reported seems to only further inflame the situation.
That being said, though sometimes susceptible to the odd hiccup, numbers don’t lie. As Batman V Superman continues to break records, surprising fans and naysayers alike, a new milestone appears to have been reached. Based on data compiled by ticket site Fandango, The Wrap is reporting that Batman V Superman is leading ticket sales for the second week in row, with repeat ticket sales 30% higher than any other typical blockbuster. Regarding this rise in repeat ticket purchases, Fandango’s Managing Editor Erik Davis had this to say:
“This film is delivering something we’ve never seen before in a live-action superhero movie, and fans are returning to see it again in theaters this weekend.”
The onscreen battle between The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel has indeed faced its share of off screen hurdles, but racking up tickets sales does not currently appear to be one of them. Last weekend the movie brought in a healthy $166.1 million domestically, bringing its worldwide total to a tremendous $420.1 million. However, many analysts have reported that Batman V Superman could face a 60-65 percent drop-off in ticket sales during its second weekend of release, and that the superhero epic will ultimately lose ground to upcoming releases like Melissa McCarthy’s Boss (set for an April 8 release) and Disney’s live action remake of The Jungle Book (due April 15).
On one hand, the fact that Batman V Superman is seeing such high numbers with repeat ticket sales is encouraging, but the reality is that repeat viewers aren't enough to keep the movie in a position of dominance for long. Batman V Superman has a high probability of taking the same commercial route as movies like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Fifty Shades of Grey - which, financially speaking, isn't really anything for Warner Bros. to worry about.
The bottom line here for any Batman V Superman fan (or non-fan) to bear in mind is that ultimately box office numbers can't definitively say whether a movie is good or bad; it all comes down to personal enjoyment. That said, if personal enjoyment is enough to keep people going back for repeat viewings, it could bode well for the movie's final box office tally.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is now playing in U.S. theaters. Suicide Squad will arrive on August 5, 2016, followed by Wonder Woman on June 23, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps. on June 19, 2020.
Source: The Wrap
