Latest Batman movie has third largest U.S. opening ever

LOS ANGELES —The most recent movie “The Dark Knight Rises” had the third largest opening weekend ever, despite the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colorado,

Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded in the hail of gunfire in Colorado massacre, in which an attacker gunned down film-goers at a packed premier of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

“The Dark Knight Rises” directed by Christopher Nolan had earned $160.9 million in its first three days, “The Avengers” ($207.4 million) “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” ($169.2 million). “The Avengers” and “Harry Potter” were 3D movies, meaning the ticket prices were higher.

“The Dark Knight Rises” had the most profitable weekend of any 2D film, earning more than the $158.4 million raked in by its 2008 trilogy predecessor, “The Dark Knight,”

Rounding off the top ten was the latest Woody Allen comedy, “To Rome With Love,” starring Allen, Ellen Page and Alec Baldwin, with $1.4 million.