The Dark Knight Rises outpacing The Avengers according to Fandango – Advanced Ticket Sales Selling out across the country

Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises Currently on Track to Become One of Fandango’s Top-Selling Movies of All Time

LOS ANGELES — July 19, 2012 –Fandango reports that “The Dark Knight Rises,” on the eve of its opening weekend, is outpacing the summer blockbuster “The Avengers” in ticket sales at the same point in the sales cycle. The final chapter of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has sold out on Fandango more than 2,000 showtimes nationwide and it’s currently on track to become one of Fandango’s top-selling movies of all time.

“Thursday’s ticket sales are incredibly strong, as film fans are flocking to
Fandango to guarantee their seats for the film’s opening weekend,” says Rick Butler, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fandango. “The IMAX showtimes are particular fast-sellers, as almost every one of our Thursday midnight IMAX showtimes have been sold out. The good news is that theater owners are continually posting new showtimes on Fandango to meet the fan demand, so tickets are still available.”

“The Dark Knight Rises” currently accounts for 91% of daily ticket sales, selling out coast-to-coast from big cities like New York and Los Angeles, to smaller towns like Sunrise, Florida to Puyallup, Washington. The film also promises to be one of Fandango’s all-time top mobile ticket-sellers, with nearly 30% of the site’s fans on Thursday using Fandango’s mobile site and apps to buy their tickets in advance.

Fandango is currently featuring a wealth of editorial content on “The Dark Knight Rises” at http://www.fandango.com/thedarkknightrises/movieguide, from exclusive video interviews with the film’s stars including Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway, premiere videos and photos, free music downloads, prize pack giveaways, and “The Dark Knight Rises” Virtual Theater — where fans can win a movie tickets for a year at http://www.facebook.com/fandango.

Earlier in the week, Fandango surveyed more than a thousand “Dark Knight Rises” ticket-buyers, and found that 97% said the darker tone made them more interested in seeing the movie. In addition, 89% claimed the new villain, Bane, made them excited to see the film; 72% consider themselves fans of director Christopher Nolan; and 62% said they’re anxious to see it because more than an hour of the film was shot in IMAX.

Earlier this month, Fandango announced it had achieved its best quarter in the company’s 12-year history, with a 28% year-over-year surge in second quarter ticket sales, a 26% year-over-year increase in second quarter traffic, and its highest number of mobile tickets sold in one quarter, with mobile purchases up 107% year-over-year. In addition to record-setting ticket sales for “The Avengers,” Fandango also signed new distribution deals with AOL’s Moviefone, MSN and Yahoo, as well as AMC Theatres, Regency Theatres, and a long-term renewal with Carmike Cinemas.

Breakout

Fandango, the nation’s leading moviegoer destination, sells tickets to nearly 20,000 screens nationwide. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary, celebrity interviews and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. At many theaters, fans can print their tickets at home or receive them as a paperless Mobile Ticket on their smartphones.

Fandango is available online at http://www.fandango.com, via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, and at 1-800-FANDANGO. Fandango’s top-ranking movie ticketing apps, with over 25 million downloads, are available on the iPhone and iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and many other platforms. Fandango is enjoyed by 35 million online and mobile visitors per month. Film fans find Fandango on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fandango and on Twitter @Fandango.

The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan’s third and final installment of his Batman trilogy, starring Christian Bale (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Anne Hathaway (Selina Kyle/Catwoman), Tom Hardy (Bane), Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and other Nolan alums Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard, to be released by Warner Bros. July 2012