"The Batman," the new blockbuster action film from Warner Bros., surpassed box-office expectations in its opening weekend with an estimated $128.5 million at the North American box office. Industry analysts had expected the movie would bring in around $110 million.

"The Batman" marks the second-highest U.S. opening since the start of the pandemic. It has taken in nearly $250 million worldwide.

“This is an excellent opening,” box office film consultant David Gross told the New York Times. “Keeping these series fresh — moving characters forward, maintaining the storytelling quality, adding new worlds, new antagonists, new set pieces — is as hard as any creative challenge in the business.”

Ticket sales were affected by AMC Entertainment's move to use “variable pricing” for specifically “The Batman” theater tickets. The top theater chain charges about $1 more to see “The Batman,” compared to other movies playing at the same time due to “supply and demand.”

“The Batman,” which had an estimated $200 million budget, has received strong reviews. On movie review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 85% rating. The newest installment of the franchise stars Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano and Colin Farrell.

Superhero films have brought many consumers back to theaters. In December, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” saw $260 million in its opening weekend.

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