The Dark Knight, the biggest hit at the box office this year, was also the most pirated on BitTorrent, according to data collected by TorrentFreak.com. According to the website, the movie, which has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide since its release, was downloaded 7.03 million times.
"Comments on various BitTorrent sites reveal that many downloaders obtained an illegal copy after they had already watched the movie in the movie theater," TorrentFreak observed. It also noted that the movie first made its appearance on the Internet immediately after its July premiere in a camcorded version.
Ten most-pirated films of 2008, according to TorrentFreak.com:
1. The Dark Knight, 7.03 million 2. The Incredible Hulk, 5.84 million 3. The Bank Job, 5.41 million 4. You Don't Mess With the Zohan, 5.28 million 5. National Treasure: Book of Secrets, 5.24 million 6. Juno, 5.19 million 7. Tropic Thunder, 4.90 million 8. I Am Legend, 4.87 million 9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 4.40 million 10. Horton Hears a Who!, 4.36 million.
CLICK HERE and see the FULL LIST of the NOMINATIONS!
'EARTH STOOD STILL' HITS THE #1 SPOT
Moviegoers refused to be idle on Friday, shelling out $11.6 million for Twentieth Century Fox's sci-fi redux "The Day the Earth Stood Still" in addition to a plethora of award season releases.
Playing in 3,560 theaters and based on the 1951 Robert Wise film, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" marks the third highest opening day for headliner Keanu Reeves after 2003's "The Matrix Reloaded" ($42.5 million) and "The Matrix Revolutions" ($24.3 million). The pic, directed by Scott Derrickson, had a substantial edge over number two placeholder, Warner Bros. "Four Christmases" yesterday and looks to keep its lock on the No. 1 spot through Sunday. In its third Friday, "Christmases" rang up $4.2 million from 3,540, down 27%, for a current running cume of $78.9 million.
Boffo theater averages also abounded yesterday as a number of Golden Globe nominees and specialty pics vying for award contention unspooled in limited markets. Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino" from Warner Bros. saw the day's highest theater average with $12,427 or $75,000 from six playdates in New York and Los Angeles. "Torino" marks Eastwood's first appearance onscreen since his 2004 Oscar winning best picture "Million Dollar Baby." "Torino's" playdate average bests the $9,736 racked up by the previous film he directed, "Changeling" as well as $6,179 charted on "Baby's" first Friday.
Miramax's "Doubt," which drew five Golden Globe nods on Thursday for best actress (Meryl Streep), actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman), supporting actress (Viola Davis and Amy Adams) and screenplay (John Patrick Shanley); made $141,000 from 15 locales yesterday for a stellar $9,377 per site average. The film is based on Shanley's 2005 Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play.
Another Globes contender, Weinstein Co.'s "The Reader" generated $47,000 from eight sites Friday or $5,877. Pic was nominated for four Globes including best drama, supporting actress (Kate Winslet), director (Stephen Daldry) and screenplay (David Hare). "Reader" bowed in one theater Wednesday and has since earned $59,000.
CLASSIC FILMS
BY GENRE
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Australia
Quantum of Solace
Milk
The Secret Life of Bees
BOX OFFICE
City of Ember
Four Christmases
Twilight
Bolt
