Last summer, Fathom Events screened the DC animated film “Batman: The Killing Joke” in select theaters around the country a few weeks before it was released on DVD. It was supposed to be a one-night-only event, but because the pre-sales were so high, the same 1,325 theaters added a second showing the next evening.
Night 1: $3.2 million (Per Screen Avg. $2,400)
Night 2: another $600,000 (Per Screen Avg. $450)
Total: $3.8 million
The success of “The Killing Joke” prompted Fathom Events to announce earlier this year that they would be debuting the next hand-drawn animated Batman installment in theaters a few weeks before its DVD release. This Monday night, Aug. 14, comes the theatrical premiere of “Batman and Harley Quinn” – again in select theaters nationwide. It won’t be on DVD until Aug. 29.
With the buzz surrounding Ben Affleck’s return as The Caped Crusader in “Justice League”, “Wonder Woman” – the highest-grossing movie of the summer, and Margot Robbie’s electric work as Harley in last summer’s “Suicide Squad” (released after “The Killing Joke”), I’ve got a feeling that the “Batman and Harley Quinn” screenings will do very well.
The premiere event will also include “a sneak peek at a Harley Quinn featurette”. For tickets and theater locations, visit fathomevents.com/events/batman-and-harley-quinn.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, Fathom Events