WB Chief Says ‘BATMAN V SUPERMAN’ Success Is Proof Of A Disconnect Between Critics & Fans

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE had a heroic showing at the global box office this weekend. By now, we all know that the film raked in a staggering $424.1 million worldwide. That puts the film in fourth place on the all-time global release list, and even bests Marvel titans THE AVENGERS and AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. The Hollywood Reporter is quick to note, though, that those latter films didn’t benefit from opening in so many markets at the same time- like China, where BvS pulled in the robust $57.3 that made its result record-breaking. When Ultron eventually opened in China, its debut in that country alone was $155.8 million.

Regardless, it was a phenomenal weekend for the superhero smackdown and one that Warner Bros domestic distribution chief Jeff Goldstein says is proof that critical consensus rarely has anything to do with fan-demand. “There is no question this is an extraordinary achievement,” he said. “Clearly, audiences have embraced it and we are already seeing repeat business. It’s just fun. Often, there’s a disconnect between critics and audiences.

It’s true, of course. BATMAN V SUPERMAN managed to be one of only five films to ever make more than $100 million despite an aggregate score below 30% on Rotten Tomatoes. So the fans have spoken!

And yet, what the fans have said means that the film’s future success is one to keep an eye on. BATMAN V SUPERMAN‘s CinemaScore, which is based solely on polling fans as they leave theaters, is a B. While we’re used to reviews in the A or B range from critics to be considered positive, in the world of CinemaScores a B is considered mediocre (THR) or “so-so” (Box Office Mojo). For the sake of perspective, this means fans gave BvS the same “stamp of approval” that they gave GREEN LANTERN and CATWOMAN– which also garnered Bs. It’s a step down from MAN OF STEEL‘s A-. Even more telling? BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE actually got a B- from males, who make up 62% of the film’s audience. The only demographic that gave the film a resounding thumbs-up were boys under the age of 18, who gave it an A-. Remember, these are fan scores, not critics.

So the weeks to come will be very telling, and I’m beyond intrigued to see how they play out with this kind of word-of-mouth. As I said in my review of the film, there was definitely some stuff in there to like, and I’ve also stated on the LOS FANBOYS podcast that I’m excited to see what non-Snyder DC films are going to look like. It’s definitely an intriguing time to be a DC fan, so I’ll be keeping a close eye on how things develop here.

What do you think of Goldstein’s comments? And how do you feel about BATMAN V SUPERMAN‘s outlook? Discuss!

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter

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