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I have more to say this time around about the numbers side of things than I normally do, in particular an anomaly I will discuss shortly. But first consider this: Batman wound up the top grossing film of 1989 with $251 million and placed sixth on the all-time list of domestic blockbusters (although in the two decades since it has dropped down to 50th, about where it also rests on the all-time adjusted for inflation tally.) Batman Returns opened with $45 million (at that time, the largest three-day opening ever) on its way to $163 million and finished as the third biggest moneymaker of 1992. However, with that increased budget, the film needed to do as well as Batman, if not better, in the eyes of Warner Bros.'. Overseas profits were just a shade over $100 million.

What is fascinating about the Batman franchise in general, no matter who is at the helm, is that the films are the rare exception to how most Hollywood productions perform worldwide. A big action spectacle will often make one-third to two-fifths of its total gross domestic. There are variations depending on genres, stars, etc., yet this is fairly consistent among the current top 100 global top grossers. In stark contrast to this trend, all of the Batman installments (excepting Batman and Robin) made more domestically (anywhere from 55%-62% of the final total) than they did internationally. The Dark Knight would have been within spitting distance of Titanic's $1.8 billion if it had done 67% of its total gross worldwide instead of just 46%. After all that buildup, I wish I had more of a professional insight into why this is the case. Is Batman inherently more popular in North America? Do our fellow moviegoers across the globe prefer the Spidey's blue and red palette to the blacks and grays of Batman's suit? I do not have the answers.

Batman Returns was about as well reviewed as the first film, but its darker and more sadistic tone certainly made it less kid-friendly than Batman. Tim Burton was spared a lifetime of being tied down to one particular property, but as entertainments go, his swan song to the franchise suggests his heart and mind were already elsewhere.

Next time: the last great Chapter Two of the 1990s, and it's back in theaters (almost) as we speak.

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