Standing resolute in the face of heavy criticism, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice debuted to a strong opening weekend across the globe last week, going on to become the biggest March opening with $166 million at the domestic box office.
That streak came to an unceremonious end, however, when box office figures dipped a remarkable 66 percent during the film’s second weekend, and that’s without fending off any notable competition. Nonetheless, Warner Bros. issued a response to the steep drop-off, stating simply that it’s “not concerned.”
That’s according to Warner’s domestic distribution chief Jeff Goldstein, who took the positives from Dawn of Justice‘s sophomore weekend run, where Zack Snyder’s tentpole took in $52 million in total.
We’re not concerned with the drop. No matter how you slice it, to get to $52 million on any given weekend is an enormous accomplishment. We’re most focused on where we are in total. And our global number is huge.
Currently simmering just below $700 million worldwide, it would be foolish to label Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice as an out-an-out financial dud; rather, Snyder’s sprawling feature failed to meet Warner’s internal expectations. Whether it stands as a competent film regardless of box office turnover, however, is something we’ll leave to you.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently in theaters. As for Ben Affleck’s Caped Crusader, it would appear the actor is quietly assembling a Batman solo movie to direct and star in, even if it isn’t likely to swoop onto the big screen for some time yet.
