Will The Watchmen TKO The Dark Knight & make Hollywood box office history this weekend?

March 4, 2:34 PMPop Culture ExaminerDominic Patten

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We've had the hoopla of the London and the Los Angeles premieres. We've had the hype, director Zack Snyder's placating of the hardcore fans, the merchandising and everything in between that a good honest to God blockbuster needs - now The Watchmen movie just has to open nationwide on March 6.

And even though the Hollywood Reporter's review called the movie, "the first real flop of 2009" from the already sold out screenings, it looks like The Watchmen could be opening big - like Dark Knight big.

Watching The Watchmen reviews - click here for the good, the bad and why the Hollywood Reporter called The Watchmen "the first real flop of 2009."

Want more Watchmen? Then click here for everything you need to know on the history & the hype - from sneak peeks to billboards to videogames to New Frontiersman websites - of the highly anticipated comic book movie

Check out our Celebrity Profile Examiner's look at The Watchmen's stars by clicking here for Patrick Wilson (Nite Owl), here for former Bad News Bear Jack Earle Haley (Rorschach) here for Malin Akerman (Silk Spectre) and here for the big blue guy himself Billy Crudup (Dr. Manhattan)

The latest in the hugely successful and constantly reinvented Batman franchise holds the Box Office opening record right now, but The Watchmen just might have all the right ingredients to take the Dark Knight down in a way the Joker never could. 

“Over 90% of ticket sales on Fandango are for Watchmen," Chuck Walton, editor of the online movie ticket sales and review site, told your Pop Culture Examiner Wednesday morning. “It’s Fandango’s biggest film of the year so far, and should have a strong opening.”

Could strong mean that one set of cynical superheroes are about to sock it to Gotham's hooded vigilante? Perhaps, but even so it would have to be one Hell of a left hook, because the muscles of The Dark Knight’s dough are pretty daunting. The second Batman film to star Christian Bale as Gotham City's protector and the last appearance of Health Ledger, who won a posthumous Oscar for his performance as the Joker, is the second highest grossing movie in history, just behind that little ship called the Titanic. When The Dark Knight, which was made by Legendary Pictures the same lucky lucky people behind The Watchmen, came out last July, it landed the biggest three day opening weekend of all time and the biggest opening day and the biggest single day, with box office sales of $66.4 million, in Hollywood history. Spiderman 3, the previous titleholder, was left bloodied and bruised and distinctly shown who the real King of the Superheroes was.

Check out Batman star Christian Bale's on-set Terminator: Salvation profanity filed tirade, the apology and the hilarious re-mix by clicking here

Are you a fan & follower of The Dark Knight? Then click here for to see why the blockbuster should not only have been nominated for best Picture at this year's Academy Awards, but why it should have beaten Slumdog Millionaire and won the Oscar

Still, when it comes to The Watchmen movie, Fandango's Chuck Walton is willing to put your money where his mouth is. “It’s based on the most acclaimed graphic novel ever, fans are chomping at the bit to see it, and many of those who haven’t read it will be interested to see what the hype’s about…plus, there’s a hunger for films that have amazing visuals and action, and are centered on compelling stories, and intelligent ideas."

Long story short  - The Watchmen ”should crush the competition this weekend,” proclaims Walton.

Is the Dark Knight shaking in his Batboots? Maybe, but why be so serious?