The Batman has double the budget than initially expected. Ever since audiences got their first look at the film back at DC FanDome in 2020, anticipation for The Batman has been extremely high and continues to grow as the release date draws nearer. Reviews have been very positive since the embargo dropped on February 28, 2022, with many drawing positive comparisons to The Dark Knight.
Box office estimates have begun rolling in, and while the early tracking had the film possibly opening at the biggest for a Batman movie ever at around $180 million, now estimates are looking at a smaller yet still equally impressive $140 million. Back in October 2021, it was reported the budget for The Batman was $100 million which would make it cheaper than many modern superhero films, and that it could potentially make back its entire budget in its opening weekend. It appears those numbers were either false or the budget drastically ballooned.
In a recent report from Variety covering The Batman's box office potential, the publication revealed the budget for the film was $200 million. That is double the initial $100 million many believed. $200 million puts The Batman as the third most expensive Batman-led film ever made, behind Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Dark Knight Rises which both had a budget of $250 million.
Part of the reason for the budget could be COVID-19 related cost, as the movie had not one but two delays. The first was the start of the pandemic, as production shut down on March 14, 2020, just two months after filming had started, and did not resume until September 3, 2020. Filming was shortly paused again with star Robert Pattinson tested positive for COVID-19 and the crew entered a two-week quarantine period. Filming resumed on September 17, 2020, and filming officially wrapped in March 2021, one year after production had shut down and a whole year before the film's release.
Even with a budget of $200 million, it is likely The Batman will make back its budget back domestically with little to no problem. Not only is it the only major film opening on March 4, but the following week has no major competition in theaters since Disney pulled the theatrical release of their Pixar film Turning Red. While March has many notable films like The Lost City and Everything Everywhere All At Once those films are unlikely to come anywhere close to harming The Batman's box office prospects, leaving it as the only major studio tentpole for all of March with its biggest competition not arriving until April with the release of Morbius. How much The Batman will make will be interesting to see, yet it appears the money was well spent just based on early word of mouth.
Source: Variety
