Iron Man 2 tracking surveys are showing advance interest at levels that are leading some to predict that it will beat Dark Knight’s record opening weekend gross of $158 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.  The advance interest is across demographics, according to the report, with strong appeal among women as well as men, and teen girls the only soft spot. 

 

The first Iron Man film had a $98 million opening weekend before going on to do $318 domestically.  Iron Man 2 will definitely be bigger, but by how much?

 

Promotional spending will be a major driver of interest in the coming weeks.  The total value of promotional spending (which includes over $80 million in media buys) around Iron Man 2 is over $100 million, according to Variety.  Audi, LG Mobile, 7-Eleven, Dr. Pepper, oracle, Burger King, Reese’s, Royal Purple, and Norton are major partners. 

 

Marvel has a major publishing program around the film, with Iron Man 2:  Public Identity bridging the gap between the two films and a wide range of trade paperback and hardback collections directly and indirectly connected to the movie storyline.