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Aquaman hits $1 billion at global box office, is bigger than The Dark Knight

The blockbuster is expected to become the most successful DC film of all time

Jacob Stolworthy
Monday 14 January 2019 05:30 EST
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Aquaman - Trailer 2

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Aquaman has made a staggering DC achievement after passing the $1 billion mark at the box office.

The feat – the third DC film to reach the milestone – sees James Wan’s film surpass the takings amassed by The Dark Knight in 2008 ($1.004 billion).

This puts Aquaman as the eighth highest-grossing live-action superhero film ever made behind Marvel’s Avengers films, Black Panther, Iron Man 3 and Captain America: Civil War. Just ahead, at $1.084 billion is The Dark Knight Rises, which was released in 2012.

It’s the global takings that’s putting Aquaman ahead. Compared to a US domestic gross of $286m, it’s taken $713m overseas which exceeds its nearest challenger – Batman v Superman – but just under $200m.

Aquaman was surprisingly dethroned from the US box office by The Upside, a new comedy-drama starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart. It scored $19.6m in its opening weekend.

Marvel president Kevin Feige recently revealed he’d seen Aquaman and gave it a positive review. The film stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard and Patrick Wilson.

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