‘Dark Knight Rises’ Earns $25 Million in Advance Sales

Dark Knight Rises has already racked up $25 million in advance ticket sales and may score the biggest opening of all time for a non-3D film.

A veteran box office observer says Dark Knight Rises could earn $185 million to $195 million in its debut. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures insiders say $170 million is a good starting point. “Anything above that is going into unknown territory,” one insider said.

Disney and Marvel’s The Avengers posted the biggest three-day opening of all time at the domestic box office when grossing $207.4 million earlier this summer. The second biggest opening goes to  Warners’ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which grossed $169.2 million.

Both films had the advantage of being released in 3D. About $35 million of the opening weekend gross for Avengers came from the 3D upcharge.

Dark Knight earned $18.4 million in midnight grosses, while Avengers grossed $18.7 million.