The Dark Knight Rises Becomes Third Biggest Box Office Opener of All-Time

The Dark Knight Rises is projected to have made $161 million in its first weekend which brings the film in slightly below its original projections but still makes it the third biggest opening in history. The effect of the tragic theater shooting in Aurora may have had some impact on audience drive to see the film immediately. Official totals won’t be known until tomorrow as the studio is holding back from touting numbers out of respect for the victims.

The $161 million helps the film surpass The Dark Knight which made $158 million on its opening weekend. It then falls behind only Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ($169 million) and The Avengers ($207 million) in the record books. The Dark Knight Rises stands alone though as the highest grossing weekend from a non-3D film and the best single day from a non-3D film ($76 million on Friday).