I'm pretty confident that Marvel's The Avengers will make more at the box office than The Dark Knight Rises. Marvel Studios latest (and fan-f*cking-tastic) effort reaches to a much wider audience, and honestly, is easier to digest for the masses. It's not dark, it's not deep, and it's not complex. This isn't calling it stupid nor claiming it's a terribly basic film. It's simply fun from beginning to end and, based on other reviews/word of mouth, a vast majority seems to agree that it's an epic blockbuster worth checking out.

Why is this? The factors working in its favor cast out a wider net than The Dark Knight Rises does. Director Joss Whedon's team-up is easily accessible by anyone and everyone. Regardless of your publisher preference, we all want to see a group of super heroes we know team up on the big screen, and more importantly, see if it can be pulled off. While this is a follow-up to all of the previous efforts by Marvel Studios, you don't really need to see them to appreciate this film. It was more than clear during both my viewings that much of the crowd likely only saw Iron Man or possibly even none of the other efforts. While leaving the cinema I overheard plenty of conversations including remarks such as "what's the Destroyer" and "was Iron Man that funny in his own movies?" The Dark Knight Rises is being promoted as the conclusion of the trilogy, and while already existing fans of the franchise are going to rush to see it opening night, I question its ability to pull in the much younger and/or older crowd that hasn't watched Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. That, and the vast amount of now familiar faces to the general audience (thanks to Marvel Studios tactic by kicking off their films with the excellent Iron Man in 2008) should assure its power to pull more cash. It just flat-out has more star power when it comes to characters. And then there's the most obvious reason: 3D. That alone means it'll generate more cash per ticket.

This isn't by any means saying that Marvel's The Avengers will be a superior movie to The Dark Knight Rises (even though it's more than transparent they'll be drastically different). We'll just have to wait until July 20th for that conversation. I'm sure TDKR will earn a monumental amount of money as well, and regardless of which film makes more cash, we should just be happy we're alive in a year that has not one, but two amazing comic book movies (yes, I think it's safe to assume TDKR will be great). Do you agree that Marvel's The Avengers will earn more, or do you think Christopher Nolan's final Batman film will knock out Marvel's best movie yet?

source: my blog

Kill the Bat. That's the only way I see it knocking off the Avengers.

@.Spider-man. said:

Kill the Bat. That's the only way I see it knocking off the Avengers.

Even then I'm not so sure.

@.Spider-man. said:

Kill the Bat. That's the only way I see it knocking off the Avengers.

Word of mouth that the film kills Batman could definitely generate more curiosity, and in turn, cash.

I believe in Harvey Dent , in Chris Nolan we trust 

Avengers will earn more, but will it be the better movie? That is the question.

@TheGreyOutcastX: My response is in the OP ;)

This isn't by any means saying that Marvel's The Avengers will be a superior movie to The Dark Knight Rises (even though it's more than transparent they'll be drastically different). We'll just have to wait until July 20th for that conversation.

It'll be interesting to see how those conversations go when the time comes, though.

@k4tzm4n said:

@TheGreyOutcastX: My response is in the OP ;)

This isn't by any means saying that Marvel's The Avengers will be a superior movie to The Dark Knight Rises (even though it's more than transparent they'll be drastically different). We'll just have to wait until July 20th for that conversation.

It'll be interesting to see how those conversations go when the time comes, though.

Indeed.

I have an opinion on this but I guess it's bias since I haven't liked any of Nolan's Batman films.

@Vance Astro said:

I have an opinion on this but I guess it's bias since I haven't liked any of Nolan's Batman films.

how come you don't like nolan's batman ?

Bane will not have his Venom/Juice in the movie from what I heard.

@Vance Astro said:

I have an opinion on this but I guess it's bias since I haven't liked any of Nolan's Batman films.

how come you don't like nolan's batman ?

@Lantern Prime said:

Bane will not have his Venom/Juice in the movie from what I heard.

Not sure if they're calling it venom, but the set-up he has helps numb the constant pain he's in.

I would be fine with it if Bane doesn't have Venom in this film.It does kind of take away one thing that is unique about him but this is supposed to be a "realistic" Batman so I can understand why Nolan would want to leave that out.

@Vance Astro: I don't think it'll boost his strength or anything. It seems to just be serving as a pain killer to deal with whatever critical injury he previously suffered.

@Vance Astro:

Thats weak. "realistic" Taking away the sci-fi elements takes away from Batman. Ras Al Guhl cannot die. Don't take that away.

@Vance Astro:

Thats weak. "realistic" Taking away the sci-fi elements takes away from Batman. Ras Al Guhl cannot die. Don't take that away.

@Vance Astro: I don't think it'll boost his strength or anything. It seems to just be serving as a pain killer to deal with whatever critical injury he previously suffered.

@Vance Astro:

I agree on the last part...

@k4tzm4n:

I forgot who won that battle Cap vs the Bats..... Last battle of DC vs Marvel crossover...

Avengers is doing extremely well right now. It'll make a billion dollars worldwide, no question, but that 3D money definitely helped.

Here's the thing though. The Dark Knight is legendary. We all knew that Avengers was going to be huge; Marvel spent 4+ years marketing, developing and creating origin stories for its most popular characters leading up to this moment. But The Dark Knight was never pegged to by anything but a successful follow-up to a well-received reboot by an up-and-coming director. Maybe it was Heath Ledger, maybe it was the paltry line-up in Summer 2008, maybe it was the stellar reviews (Avengers has gotten largely positive reviews, but The Dark Knight was legitimately pegged as an Oscar contender) whatever it was, it skyrocketed Dark Knight into pop culture phenomenon territory.

Will The Dark Knight Rises exceed what the previous film made? Not sure- second sequels usually see less retainment than immediate sequels. But pegging this as the "final" Batman tale, the follow-up that fans have been waiting for 4 years to see, that should help. Will it become legendary like its predecessor? Won't bet against it. If Christopher Nolan can make a largely introspective, dense psychological thriller with only one proven star & a completely original property and ride it to over $800 million worldwide, what makes you think that the biggest, most popular superhero of all time won't make history?

EDIT: Sorry, wanted to add a bit more to this. Iron Man is the most popular non-Spider-Man film in the Marvel line-up. Even though Hulk is considered a more popular comic book hero, his two films have more or less disappointed at the box office, with both Thor and Captain America outselling them handily, even adjusted for inflation, though the latter two films didn't even make as much as Batman Begins did way back in 2005, without those pesky 3D prices. The whole Avengers films from 2008 on are clearer in our minds, but the fact of the matter is that Batman is much more popular, straight up. Iron Man has his buddies backing him up, but if we just base their popularity with how their films did, Dark Knight made more than Incredible Hulk, Captain America & Thor COMBINED. So you kinda can't really make the assumption that the audience is less familiar with Batman's films as they are with the Avengers' solo efforts.

@VinceNotVance:

what makes you think that the biggest, most popular superhero of all time won't make history?

Not sure if this is directed at me, but just in case it is, I never stated or implied that that. In fact, I said the opposite:

I'm sure TDKR will earn a monumental amount of money as well

No where is this implying TDKRwon't be a hit or won't rank extremely high up there. I'm just saying I believe the factors working in Avengers favor means in the end it'll be the one that took in more cash.

So you kinda can't really make the assumption that the audience is less familiar with Batman's films as they are with the Avengers' solo efforts.

You definitely misinterpreted just one minor point. I was complimenting how Marvel Studios was preparing for this film and was able to bring more characters into the public. Not once did I say any of those individual films were more successful than Nolan's efforts or in fact that any of the characters are more popular than Wayne (perhaps a fault of my own for not elaborating much on that point... it was late when I wrote this). But, the notion of seeing them together on-screen in what is being called a very fun blockbuster (helping to draw in the younglings... and man, there were plenty when I went both times) is clearly extremely appealing to a shockingly large amount of individuals (I'm sure there's no need to cite the weekend BO figures for ya). I can't say many expecting Avengers to do THIS well. Could TDKR surprise us and blow past it? Certainly possible, but we'll have to wait and see.

@Lantern Prime said:

@k4tzm4n:

I forgot who won that battle Cap vs the Bats..... Last battle of DC vs Marvel crossover...

The sewer ends up flooding and Batman has to save Captain America from it. So technically Bruce won.

BB

avengers for the whole team factor and simple action and plot for all fans of all ages to understand. batman for tbeing the most popular hero of all time. memorable characters. complex story.. and 2 great movies before hand.

I doubt TDKR will make more than the Avengers, but hell, there are many Nolan fanboys out there, I may be proven wrong..