#21 - $1.004 billion It was around the time that The Dark Knight was released that people started talking about "dark", "gritty", and "realistic" comic book movies. This is all of those, and while some fans missed the Caped Crusader's sillier gadgets, The Dark Knight delivered a cracking story and perhaps the best big screen villain of all-time. When Heath Ledger tragically died, there was talk of The Dark Knight's release being indefinitely postponed. Cooler heads prevailed when it became apparent that this movie was the perfect way to pay tribute to the actor. And as morbid as it is, the chatter about the actor's untimely passing ultimately helped it at the box office. Well, that and the fact that it was an amazing movie of course. However, despite the rave reviews for both The Dark Knight and Ledger's Oscar winning performance, it failed to reach $1 billion, grossing a still very impressive $997 million when it was released in July 2008. As awards season approached, however Warner Bros. smartly re-released The Dark Knight on IMAX screens to build buzz, helping it pass the mark. It was the first superhero movie to do so and put director Christopher Nolan on the map in a major way, even if the Academy foolishly snubbed him. How would you rank these movies? Share your list down in the comments.
