March sees the much-anticipated release of Warner Bros’ Batman vs. Superman, the big-screen blockbuster that is meant to be the artistic and commercial launching pad for the Extended DC Universe. But as we move closer to the release date, many fans and commentators are expressing concern that it could be a failure at the box office – a worry that’s heightened by the rumours of a production budget exceeding $400 million dollars (that’s a lot when you consider the most expensive film ever made, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides came in at $410.6 million).
According to some sources, there’s concern at Warner Bros about how Batman vs. Superman will perform at the box office, and some genuine worries about the overall quality of the film. Given the importance of this film to the studio, it’s even led some to suggest that an entire slate of DC Comics movies could be at risk should the film fail to deliver. It could even lead to the postponement of the Justice League film, with a Batman solo film being released in its place, and Warner Bros starting again with their plans for the DC Universe.
But are these concerns justified? According to Forbes, they’re not. They recently worked out that the film charting Batman’s attempts to overcome Superman’s considerable powers will need to make around $800 million at the box office to break even, and considering the $1 billion made by the aforementioned Pirates of the Caribbean, it seems extremely unlikely that the film will be a flop financially. Of course, whether or not fans like the film once they’ve seen it is a completely different matter…