NO BOX OFFICE REPORTS FOR DARK KNIGHT RISES THIS WEEKEND

Warner Bros. announced late today that they will not be releasing box office figures for The Dark Knight Rises until Monday “out of respect for the victims and their families.” The Hollywood Reporter quoted a studio spokesman as saying that it would be “insensitive” to be talking about the numbers in light of the midnight shooting spree of a gunman at an Aurora, CO theater showing the movie that claimed the lives of at least 12 persons and injured 59 others, some critically. The major television networks earlier today yanked ads for TDKR, while their morning shows focused on the tragedy. Broadcast and cable outlets later received messages from Warner Bros.’ advertising representatives asking them to remove the ads. On various entertainment websites, there was much speculation about how the Colorado shooting would affect ticket sales for a movie that some had forecast had the potential to open with the biggest gross of all time.