'Batman: The Killing Joke' Makes a Bundle at Box Office in Limited Two-Night Run
‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ (Warner Bros./DC Entertainment)
The controversial animated film Batman: The Killing Joke made a bundle in its limited two-day theatrical run, grossing $3.8 million on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Warner Bros. and Fathom Events showed the movie in 1,325 theaters on Monday night, followed by an encore performance in 810 locations on Tuesday night, timed to The Killing Joke’s release on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Related: Comic-Con: ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ Team Responds to Controversial Batgirl Sex Scene
Last week, Batman: The Killing Joke caused a stir at Comic-Con when word got out that the R-rated, animated adaptation of the classic graphic novel would include an expanded backstory that sees Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (Tara Strong) and Batman (Kevin Conroy) have a sexual encounter. The Joker is voiced by Mark Hamill.
In the 1988 graphic novel by writer Alan Moore and artist Brian Bolland, the Joker shoots Barbara, paralyzing her almost as soon as she appears on the page. In the film version, she’s the protagonist of the story for the first 20 minutes — fighting crime and dealing with conflicting feelings about her working relationship with Batman, and whether it’s time to move on and leave crime fighting behind. After a heated exchange in which she lashes out at Batman for removing her from a case, she kisses him and it’s implied they have sex (though that takes place offscreen).
Despite backlash online, the movie’s screening at Comic-Con went over well.
Related: ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’: See Mark Hamill In the Studio Ready to Sing as The Joker
And on Monday, Batman: The Killing Joke came in No. 3 with $3.2 million despite its relatively modest footprint, outpacing Lights Out ($2.9 million).
“We are thrilled with the reaction Batman: The Killing Joke has generated with fans,” said Jeff Brown, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment general manager and exec VP said. “The success of the theatrical release confirms the popularity of this franchise with audiences. The film’s strong performance proves that viewers are hungry for original DC Universe animated content.”
‘Batman: The Killing Joke’: Watch the trailer:
