Here we are, folks. THE BATMAN, which is easily the highest-profile release of the pandemic era after SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, is now in theaters. So, how do the final tracking numbers for BATMAN compare to the numbers for SPIDER-MAN?
Let’s start with awareness. BATMAN, with 75% awareness, actually ended its run two points higher than SPIDER-MAN. It’s worth noting that these are the only two films in the history of The Quorum to crack 70%. In fact, only two other films have reached 60%. WONDER WOMAN 1984 got to 63%, and F9 hit 60%.
On the interest side, BATMAN couldn’t quite reach the same heights as SPIDER-MAN. For a moment earlier this week, interest for BATMAN hit 7.0 before dipping back down to 6.9.
That means SPIDER-MAN remains the only 70/7.0 film. No over film has reached 70% and 7.0 in interest.
For a while, it looked like BATMAN would do the same. The chart below graphs interest over time for the two films. Down the home stretch, BATMAN (light blue) was tracking ahead of SPIDER-MAN (navy). But whereas interest for SPIDER-MAN continued to rise in the weeks leading up to release, the scores for BATMAN stalled just shy of 7.0.
What does this mean in terms of the box office? Will BATMAN come close to the $260M opening for SPIDER-MAN?
As we noted before, there is a big difference between an opening in late December and March. Quite simply, fewer people go to the movies in March than December. That’s especially true for kids and families. As you can see below, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST holds the record for the largest March opening ever at $175M. It’s closely followed by a trio of films that opened above $150M.
For BATMAN, we would be looking for an opening that at least reaches $100M and perhaps approaches the top tier of March releases.
After this, the next big film to arrive in theaters will be DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. You can be sure that we will be watching that one closely as well.