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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” smashed yet another Hollywood record as it cleared the $400 million domestic box office mark in 18 days, less than half the time it took “Shrek 2” to reach that milestone, Warner Bros. Pictures said on Tuesday.
After a third straight weekend at No. 1 in U.S. and Canadian theaters — grossing $42.7 million Friday through Sunday — “Dark Knight” amassed $6.3 million on Monday to bring its domestic tally to $400.03 million, the Time Warner Inc.-owned movie distributor reported.
The previous record holder, the computer-animated storybook spoof “Shrek 2,” crossed the $400 million mark in 43 days back in 2004, according to box office watcher Media By Numbers.
Warner Bros. has said it expects “Dark Knight” to add at least another $100 million to its North American ticket sales, surpassing the $461 million haul of 1977’s “Star Wars” and its two reissues. “Star Wars” ranks as the No. 2 movie of all time in the United States and Canada.
While “Dark Knight” appears destined to become only the second movie to gross $500 million domestically, the $601 million record held by 1997’s “Titanic” seems unlikely to sink, said Media By Numbers president Paul Dergarabedian.
“That $600 million is kind of one for the ages. It’s held for 10 years,” Dergarabedian told Reuters. “It’s very, very difficult to get from $500 million to $600 million. But the fact we’re even talking about it tells you something about the strength of ‘The Dark Knight’ and what a phenomenon it is.”
Adjusted for inflation, though, “Titanic” ranks at No. 6 in the record books, far behind “Gone with the Wind” at $1.4 billion, according to tracking firm Box Office Mojo.
“The Dark Knight,” the second of the newly revived Warner Bros. film franchise based on the adventures of D.C. Comics’ Batman character, is a follow-up to 2005’s “Batman Begins.” Continued…
CHINA has poured cold water on opposition and Western claims that an arms shipment to Zimbabwe was to be used in a clampdown against MDC-T supporters, pointing out that Harare placed the order last year.
A spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu, has stated the arms contract was signed last year contrary to claims that it was related to the current election situation in Zimbabwe.
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“This is normal trade in military products between the two countries,” Jiang told a Press briefing in Beijing.
She added that the shipment was “irrelevant” to what was taking place in Zimbabwe at the moment.
Jiang also reiterated China’s long-held foreign policy that its economic dealings with other countries, including the sale of arms, adhered to a strict policy of non-interference in their sovereign affairs — a stance that has boosted the emerging power’s ties with Africa, much to the chagrin of the West.
This is contrary to claims in some quarters that the Government intends to use the arms in a clampdown on opposition MDC-T supporters.
On Monday, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa pointed out that Zimbabwe had a right to arm itself to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity while dismissing suggestions that the military would want to use the arms against civilians.
The European Union, the United States and their allies slapped an arms ban on Zimbabwe in 2002 and observers have said in such a situation, it was only natural that the country would increase such trade with traditional partners such as China.
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