It probably won't surprise you to learn that The Dark Knight Rises is still the #1 draw for moviegoers this weekend-- but what is a little surprising is that most people are choosing to watch something else entirely. While the latest Batman film led the box office with $10.2 million on Friday, a bit ahead of Total Recall's $9.5, box office is down 25% from this time last year-- and London might be to blame.
At Deadline they're speculating that people are less interested in both The Dark Knight Rises and Total Recall than they are in the Olympics, which continue to get bananas ratings and fascinate people with new star athletes and incredibly tight matches (did you catch that game between Lithuania and Team USA basketball?). It's no wonder people aren't heading back to the movies to catch stories they've already seen-- whether it's a second viewing of The Dark Knight Rises or a remake of Total Recall, why not watch an entirely new story play out at the London games?
The Dark Knight Rises is expected to easily take the box office this weekend, with a projected $36 million; Total Recall will be substantially behind it with a disappointing $26.5 million, but the very low-budget Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days will finish strong with a $17 million weekend. We'll have a full box office report for you, as always, on Sunday. In the meantime, let us know in the comments what you're seeing this weekend, or if the Olympics have your attention instead.
