This week's new movies, aka The Dark Knight Rises (Rotten Tomatoes)

This week's new movies, aka The Dark Knight Rises (Rotten Tomatoes)

Although DKR will be in 4400+ theaters, the experts don't think it will break the opening weekend record set by The Avengers. There are two good reasons:

1. The running time is 165 minutes, meaning that it can't be shown as often as theater owners would like.

2. The Avengers picked up a lot of extra dollars from 3D ticket sales, which DKR won't have.

It is also possible that some people will wait to see the ol' Bat in the IMAX format next week instead of on a regular screen this weekend. (IMAX is already sold out for this week.) To the extent that such a supposition becomes a reality, the effect will be to move some of the normal upfront gross into the revenues of future weeks.

Even accounting for all of those circumstances, experts think DKR will come close to the record, grossing in the neighborhood of $180-$190M this weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot: 86% positive reviews.