The Couch

Now I’m not comparing the two movies as far as how good they are, both will rock your face off.  No, the question is “Will Iron Man 2 dethrone The Dark Knight’s opening box office weekend?”  I’ve seen the question asked in twitter and a few other places around the web.

Is it possible? Sure.  Iron Man 2 has some things working for it:

1. It’s shorter than The Dark Knight by about a half hour.  Which means it can have more screenings.
2. Tony Stark is a lovable goof ball superhero.  He’s not “gloomy” or “depressing” like Batman.
3. Iron Man 2 is more kid friendly, leading to more family ticket sales.
4. Iron Man 2 is the next movie in a whole series with Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers.
5. People want to see if Iron Man 2 is better than The Dark Knight.

All those things being said.  I just got done watching the movie and although I loved it, ultimately I would be surprised to see it take down The Dark Knight’s opening of 155.3 Million.  The biggest reasoning is from the midnight showing that I experienced.

1. Iron Man 2 was not packed and only showing on two screens, in Boulder.  When I saw The Dark Knight in Birmingham MI it was showing on so many screens that they had to run reels between the theaters (something we later found out you’re not suppose to do).  Also the entire theater was packed.  There weren’t any seats left in any of the showings.
2. Not one person showed up to Iron Man wearing a goofy helmet, shirt, or anything else.  Iron Man is still new to the general populace.  Batman has been in film/tv since WWII.  I think it was safe to say that at The Dark Knight 25% of the people I saw it with were dressed up.  I sat next to the entire Batman Rogues Gallery while I watched the movie.
3. It’s really a two hour trailer for The Avengers.  Almost everyone leaving the theater was saying, “That was awesome, but The Avengers movie is going to blow that out of the water.”  There are some references to the other movies coming down the line and as exciting as Iron Man 2 is, the real buzz from the movie is The Avengers.  In fact, I would be shocked if The Avengers doesn’t destroy The Dark Knight’s record.
4. The Dark Knight is a film.  Iron Man 2 is a movie.  I don’t see Iron Man 2 winning any Academy Awards.  The Dark Knight makes you think and explores Batman as a person and a symbol.  Along with exploring other characters and how they are important to Gotham.  Iron Man 2 is entertainment and will be tagged as such by reviewers.  Which means it will probably get mixed reviews.  Some people like to think this doesn’t sway the general populace from seeing a movie, but I know my parents won’t go see Iron Man 2 if they read a mediocre review.
5. Actor death sells more tickets than actor changes.  Iron Man 2 had a swap from Terrance Howard to Don Cheadle.  But The Dark Knight had one of it’s main actors pass away shortly after filming.  You can’t deny that Heath Ledger’s death didn’t sell tickets.  On top of that there were all sorts of rumors that his role as The Joker may have played a part.  Lastly there was uncertainty that Dr. Parnassus would be finished, meaning that The Dark Knight may have been his last film.  It’s sad, but people most likely had a twisted fascination with seeing how Ledger did since he was dead.

That all being said, go see Iron Man 2.  It’s a great movie and a ton of fun.  Is it 5PM yet?  I’m ready to go see it again.  Also don’t forget that we’re doing a Iron Man for Beginners Getting Graphic.ly chat on Tuesday.- Jon