Warner Bros.' THE DARK KNIGHT won its second week in release with $75.166 million (actuals), grossing $314.781M in two weeks and setting several box office records (for the weekend ending July 27).
The critically acclaimed box office smash's vfx were by Double Negative, BUF, Gentle Giant Studios and New Deal Studios.
Per VARIETY, the film hit the $300 million mark in 10 days (fastest in history) and is expected to cross $400 million by next weekend. WB believes DARK KNIGHT has the potential to gross more than $500 million domestically, becoming the only film since TITANIC to do so. TITANIC, released in 1997, got a North American cume of $600.8M.
IMAX's record-breaking haul on DARK KNIGHT for the weekend was $4.6M. "We're in unchartered territory. These are unprecedented numbers for us, and most shows continue to be sold out. We continue to add shows," said IMAX Filmed Ent. Chairman and President Greg Foster to VARIETY.
Considering the two films were going after much the same audience, Sony's STEP BROTHERS opened a very respectable number two with $30.94M.
Third went to MAMMA MIA! (Universal, vfx by Framestore), declining about 35 percent with $17.746M and $62.595M in two weeks.
Fox's THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE opened in fourth with $10.02M (vfx by At The Post, Entity FX, Frantic Films and Screaming Death Monkey).
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (New Line, vfx by Meteor Studios, Frantic Films, Gentle Giant Studios, Hybride Technologies, Mokko Studio, Persistence of Vision Entertainment, Realities Studio and Rodeo FX) placed fifth with $9.717M and $60.487M in three weeks.
Sixth place went to Sony's HANCOCK with $8.311M and $206.482M in four weeks. The Will Smith-alternative superhero actioner had vfx from Furious FX, Lidar Services, Sony Pictures Imageworks and X1fx.
WALL-E (Disney-Pixar) continues to clean up the Earth with a seventh place finish, grossing $6.422M this weekend and $195.308M in five weeks.
Universal's HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (vfx from Double Negative, FB-FX, Filmefex Studio, Ghost ApS, Hatch Production, Lip Synch Post and The Senate Visual Effects) earned eighth place with $5.1M and $66.059M in three weeks.
The animated SPACE CHIMPS from Fox placed ninth with $4.537M and $16.167M in two weeks.
And tenth place went to Universal's WANTED with $2.738M and $128.627M in five weeks.
Box office information from BoxOfficeMojo.com.
