As the box-office returns for Hollywood blockbusters continue to break records, so do the budgets to make and market them. 

With Warner Bros.' highly anticipated "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" opening Friday, rumors are that it's the most expensive movie of all time, with a supposed $410 million price tag (though that might also include the cost to market it).

While the studio is staying mum about the movie's cost, given how budgets have ballooned over the decades, it's not long before $300 million to 400 million production budgets become the norm for blockbusters.

To look at the evolution, we turned to IMDb and Box Office Mojo to gather the 30 priciest films ever made, and we consulted the consumer price index to adjust for inflation. 

We've also included the movies' estimated original budgets and box-office revenue for comparison.

Let's find out if spending all that dough was worth it.

Note: Numbers in the titles are adjusted for inflation, while original budgets are below.

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30. "Troy" (2004) $218.9 million — adjusted for inflation

Original estimated budget: $175 million
Worldwide gross: $497.4 million

27. [TIE] "2012" (2009) $220.4 million

Original estimated budget:$200 million
Worldwide gross: $769.7 million

27. [TIE] "Terminator Salvation" (2009) $220.4 million

Original estimated budget:$200 million
Worldwide gross: $371.5 million

Though "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opened last December, Harrison Ford is still making the press rounds for the movie. He stopped by "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Monday to talk about the movie. 

"I think it's quite clear that I've got nothing better to do," Ford told Kimmel. 

Well, he wasn't just there to gloat about the film's record-breaking theatrical run. He stopped by to promote the film's Blu-ray release on April 5. 

This also gave Ford the chance to talk about the (spoiler alert?) death of Han Solo in the movie.

"I argued for 30 years for this to happen and I finally wore them down," Ford said.

In fact, the actor wanted the character to get killed off back when he and George Lucas were making "Return of the Jedi."

Kimmel noted that the Solo death didn't get spoiled by anyone leading up to the release of "The Force Awakens." Ford has a theory for why that is.

"I think they knew that I would show up at their house and beat the s--- out of them," he said.

Kimmel then suggested we would not be seeing any more of Ford as Han Solo in the future "Star Wars" movies, but Ford wouldn't go that far.

"Who said that?" Ford replied. "Who made you the boss?" 

That's not confirmation that we'll see him again, but it's far from denial.

The 73-year-old star also talked about the news that he's returning as Indiana Jones. He and director Steven Spielberg are attached for a fifth film slated to come out in 2019. 

"I'm excited about this," Ford said. "The opportunity to work with Steven again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many, not to mention me — it's great fun to play this character."

Watch clips of Ford on "Kimmel" below.

SEE ALSO: The early reaction to "Batman v Superman" is here, and fans say this is the best part

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NOW WATCH: Jimmy Kimmel lost a ton of weight on this radical diet

"Suicide Squad" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" star Margot Robbie has signed on to play infamous US figure skater Tonya Harding in a drama that looks at the attack of Harding’s rival Nancy Kerrigan at a competition leading up to the 1994 Winter Olympics.

According to Deadline, “I, Tonya” recounts the assault on Kerrigan by two men who were hired by Harding’s then-husband, Jeff Gillooly, to knock her out of competing for the Olympics.

Harding later admitted that she had knowledge of the attack, and was banned for life from professional figure skating. 

Robbie, who is also producing on "I, Tonya," is currently seeking a director for the project.

The script, written by Steven Rogers, is based on extensive interviews he had with both Harding and Gillooly.

This is another opportunity for Robbie to show her versatility on-screen. She recently played a no-nonsense war correspondent in “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” and is playing two iconic characters coming up: Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad” and Jane in “The Legend of Tarzan.”

The Harding role would be one in which she shows off her dramatic chops.

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NOW WATCH: Architects plan on reconstructing one of the lost wonders of the ancient world... only bigger

The DC Comics Universe is about to be unleashed, hoping to rival the blockbuster success of Marvel Studios.

Zack Snyder's "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" begins its box-office assault this week in virtually every corner of the globe, including a coveted day-and-date release in China. The $250 million tentpole hits some European markets midweek before beginning to rollout in North America on Thursday night in roughly 3,800 theaters. By Friday, it will be playing in north of 4,000 locations.

The tentpole introduces Ben Affleck as the newest Batman opposite Henry Cavill's Superman, as well as Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and lays the groundwork for Justice League, as well as a number of superhero spinoffs. For Warner Bros., the stakes are enormous after seeing its fortunes fade at the box office over the past two years.

"Dawn of Justice" boasts huge interest in prerelease tracking, suggesting an opening of $150 million or more in North America. Some believe that number could climb much higher, considering the R-rated "Deadpool," based on a lesser-known superhero, posted a four-day debut of $152.2 million over Presidents Day weekend in February, including a three-day gross of $132.4 million.

"You can't deny the truth: 'Batman v. Superman' is everything for the DC. The fate of an entire universe literally hangs in the balance. You don't throw down your most iconic characters without going all in. This is break or bust," says box-office analyst Jeff Bock. "My prediction is $180 million."

Warners is pulling out all the stops in terms of the movie's rollout. It will play in every format possible, including 3D and 2D, and will be on Imax and premium large-format screens.

Globally, there's no telling how high "Dawn of Justice" could open. In summer 2015, "Jurassic World"— which likewise opened day-and-date everywhere, including China — pulled in a record $524.9 million, including $208.8 million domestically and $99 million in China. Warner Bros. cautions that "Jurassic World" had the advantage of opening in summer; plus, it's more family-friendly and ran two hours and four minutes. "Dawn of Justice" runs two hours and 31 minutes, meaning fewer show times.

In December, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" trumped "Jurassic World" with a global launch of $529 million, fueled by $248 million in North America (it didn't open in China until later).

Among superhero movies, Disney and Marvel Studios' "The Avengers" (2012) holds the record for the top opening with $207.4 million domestically. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015) is next with $191 million, followed by "Iron Man 3" (2013) with $174.1 million, "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) with $160.9 million, "The Dark Knight" (2008) with $158.4 million, "Spider-Man 3" (2007) with $151.1 million and "Deadpool"'s three-day take of $132.4 million.

The other movie daring to open opposite "Dawn of Justice" is the long-awaited "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2," which hopes to draw older women and men not so interested in feuding superheroes. Tracking suggests the sequel from Universal will open in the $10 million-$15 million range. Gold Circle Entertainment and Playtone produced the film.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

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NOW WATCH: Two of the world’s best cliff divers jumped off the world’s largest waterfall

When you think of a big-budget director ready to tackle a new Hollywood franchise, you're probably thinking of someone like J.J. Abrams or Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, most would not think of Kathryn Bigelow or Ava DuVernay.

This disappointing fact is explored in EPIX’s six-part docuseries "The 4%: Film's Gender Problem." The 4% comes from a study conducted by USC, which shows that from 2002 to 2014, only 4.1% of the top-grossing films were directed by women.

Wow. That's one statistic that says a lot about gender disparity in Hollywood.

When I started watching the docuseries, I knew the gender gap was an issue, of course. I had read Jennifer Lawrence's quotes about being paid less than her costars in "American Hustle" and Cosmopolitan's article about top actors who have not been in films directed by women.

But the issue was bigger and more pervasive than I had realized. Within the first few minutes of watching "The 4%," I was astounded.

The film itself is comprised of interviews with producers, directors, actors, executives, and journalists both male and female. Some of them you may recognize immediately: Kristen Wiig, Judd Apatow, Lake Bell, James Franco. Others you may not. But all of the subjects hold the same opinion: The gender gap in Hollywood is an issue that must be discussed and must be changed.

Illuminating statistics are scattered throughout the documentary. Perhaps the one even more shocking than the title's is this: "In Academy Award history, the percentage of Best Director nominees who are female: 1%." 

The lack of female directors and recognition for the ones who are out there also leaves little chance for real female character development. That's because, fundamentally, movies are a director's medium — mostly male directors control them, with all their biases, whether intended or not.

“You’re either on the phone or waving goodbye at the doorstep to your husband or boyfriend or brother or father who’s going off to begin the plot of the movie,” says actress Amanda Peet, who has played the love interest in a number of films during her career, almost all of them directed by men.

Writer, director, and actress Julie Delpy mocked, “You’re expected to talk about relationships, you know, because it’s our only pull of interest. That’s all we know about. Men. Men and love.”

Despite this lack of opportunity, box-office numbers have shown that that female-driven content, as Lake Bell calls it, does well and makes money. As mentioned in "The 4%,""Frozen" grossed $1.2 billion, "Bridesmaids" grossed $2.8 million, and the "Hunger Games" series grossed $1.4 billion despite the fact that it was passed on by a number of major studios. Sadly, even though these movies have become Hollywood blockbusters, they’re still referred to as "the exception."

A solution seems easy on paper: hire more women. When executives are asked why they don't hire more female directors and writers to drive content, their answers usually rememble: "Well, they just don’t have the experience."

To which director Catherine Hardwicke responds, "Of course you're going to say, 'There's no woman who has a track record for these big action movies.' 'Cause you didn't hire any of us, guys!" 

When "Jurassic World" was put into production, Colin Trevorrow, who had only directed an indie film called "Safety Not Guaranteed," had significantly less experience than many female directors who were interested in helming a big-budget action film. But Universal still chose the relatively fresh-faced Trevorrow to direct the $150 million film.

Still, the fear that if you speak up you won’t be given opportunities is a very real and paralyzing one, as the docuseries shows.

Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston summed up the difference between how men and women are perceived when they speak up in the industry concisely: "Men don’t b---. Men have objections."

Slowly, however, some things are changing. "The 4%" shows that more women and men are speaking out, and stars like Bradley Cooper are making promises to help change the imbalance.

Keri Putnam, the executive director of the Sundance Institute, thinks it goes beyond just an issue of employment — the problem is at the core of how we watch movies, which is why it's so important.

“This is about the image we see of ourselves as a culture out there and the image young people see of what stories are worth telling and what perspectives are worth hearing," she says.

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If you head out to see "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," one of the many superheroes you'll see on screen is the Flash.

If you're excited to see Grant Gustin go from TV Flash to film Flash, not so fast. Fans of the popular CW show may be surprised to find a different actor than the one they're used to wearing the red speedster suit in the film.  

Though CW's "The Flash" is a hit for the network, when the time came to cast an actor as the speedster for the DC movie universe, "Batman v Superman" director Zack Snyder chose actor Ezra Miller to take on the role.

Miller's version of Flash will debut in the upcoming "Dawn of Justice," with repeat appearances in the "Justice League" films and his own solo film in 2018. 

“I just don’t think it was a good fit,""Batman v Superman" director Zack Snyder told the NY Daily News on his decision to not cast Gustin as the big screen version of the character.

Snyder cites differences in tone and contrasting takes on the "multi-verse" as why he chose to keep television and movie versions of the Flash separate.  

"I’m very strict with this universe and I just don’t see a version where…that [tone is] not our world," he said.

While CW's "The Flash" is lighthearted and tends towards comedy, Snyder's DC Universe tends towards to be darker and more dramatic. Snyder has already confirmed an extended cut of "Batman v Superman" will have an R-rating. 

Fans weren't thrilled with the change, with many wondering why Snyder chose not to build on an already committed fanbase. 

Despite fan outcry, Gustin previously took to Twitter with nothing but well wishes for Miller, Snyder, and the DC universe. 

"I can't wait to see all of the DC movies that are slated for the upcoming years," he wrote. "I am a fan and it will be awesome."

Similarly, Snyder is very complimentary of Gustin's work as the character. 

"Even if Grant Gustin is my favorite guy in the world and he’s very good, we made a commitment to the multiverse (idea), so it’s just not a thing that’s possible.”

Gustin's take on "The Flash" is currently airing on The CW network and Miller will debut in the role when "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is released March 25. 

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NOW WATCH: The 8 best movies on Netflix you've probably never heard of

April's coming up, and these titles will be headed out the door on Netflix.

So it's a good time to catch up on Dave Chappelle's cult comedy "Half Baked," Steven Spielberg's "Hook," and "2 Fast 2 Furious," to name just a few.

Below is the full list.

We've highlighted some titles we think you should check out in bold. 

SEE ALSO: Here's the trick directors use when they can't get stars to finish a movie

Leaving April 1

"101 Dalmatians"
"2 Fast 2 Furious"
"Along Came Polly" 
"Amistad"
"Bad Johnson" 
"Bandslam" 
"The Butcher's Wife" 
"Flashdance" 
"Hook" 
"Hotel Rwanda" 
"House of Wax" 
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" 
"The Inexplicable Universe with Neil deGrasse Tyson" 
"Léon: The Professional"
"M*A*S*H*" (Seasons 1-11)
"Nanny McPhee" 
"The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear" 
"Nine to Five" 
"Pride & Prejudice" (2005) 
"Remember Me" 
"Rock Star" 
"The Rundown" 
"Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball" 
"Something New" 
"Star Trek: Insurrection" 
"Starship Troopers" 
"The Tale of Despereaux" 
"Vanilla Ice Goes Amish: Season 1" 
"The Vanilla Ice Project: Season 1­4" 
"The Wedding Date" 
"The Whole Ten Yards" 

Leaving April 2

"Anchors Aweigh" 
"Around the World in 80 Days: Special Edition" 
"The Devil at 4 o'clock" 
"High Society" 
"On the Town" 
"Pal Joey"
"Some Came Running" 
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

Leaving April 3

"Short Poppies: Season 1"
"Space Dogs"

It's that time again! Netflix released its list of TV shows and movies coming to the streaming site Tuesday.

Ellie Kemper and Jane Krakowski will return in season two of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" along with a few other original series and movies from Patton Oswalt and  

There are also a few Stanley Kubrick classics in the mix.

Here's the full list of April releases. We've highlighted some favorites below.

Available 4/1/2016

"16 Blocks" (2006)
"2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968)
"A Clockwork Orange" (1971)
"Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" Season 5
"The Ascent of Woman: A 10,000 Year Story"
Netflix describes as a "four-part documentary series originally created for BBC2 in the UK that charts the role of women in society over the course of 10,000 years."
"Beat Bobby Flay" Season 1
Best in Show (2000)

"Bob's Burgers" Season 5
"Boogie Nights" (1997)
"Breathe" (2014)
"Chaplin" (1992)
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005)
"Codegirl" (2015)
"Colegas" (2012)
"Cujo" (1983)
"Cutthroat Kitchen" Seasons 3-4
"Deep Impact" (1998)
"Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang" (2015)
"Dolphin Tale" (2011)
"Erin Brockovich" (2000)
"Explorers" (1985)
"Fixer Upper" Season 2
"Frank and Cindy" (2015)
"Giada at Home" Season 7
"The Great Food Truck Race" Seasons 1-2
"House Hunters" Collection 3
"House Hunters International" Collection 3
"House Hunters International Renovation" Season 1
"Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer" (2015)
"Kids Baking Championship" Season 1
"Looking for Richard" (1996)
"Lost & Found Music Studios" Netflix Original Season 1
"A group of talented young performers in a unique elite music program hope to turn their passion into their profession."
"Love It or List It, Too" Season 4
"The Mask You Live In (2015)
"Morituri" (1965)
"My Girl" (1991)
"Mystic River" (2003)
"The Next Best Thing" (2000)
"The Perfect Storm" (2000)
"The Phantom" (1996)
"The Princess Bride" (1987)
"Property Brothers at Home" Season 1
"The Ranch — Part I" Netflix Original
"Being a pro athlete didn’t pan out for Colt. Now he’s helping his dad and brother keep the ranch a float, and figuring out how he fits into the family."
"Rev Run's Sunday Suppers" (2014)
"The Right Stuff" (1983)
"Rising Sun" (1993)
"The Running Man" (1987)
"Say It Isn't So" (2001)
"The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)

"Scrooged" (1988)
"Something's Gotta Give" (2003)
"Sunset Boulevard" (1950)
"Transporter 3" (2008)
"Uncommon Valor" (1983)
"Under the Same Moon" (2007)
"V for Vendetta" (2005)

Available 4/5/2016

"Walt Before Mickey" (2015)

Available 4/8/2016

"God's Pocket" (2014)
"Hush" (2016)

Avaialble 4/9/2016

"Look Who's Back" (2015) — The Adolf Hitler comedy

Available 4/11/2016

"TURN: Washington's Spies" Season 2

Available 4/12/2016

"AJIN" Netflix Original Season 1
"A teenager discovers that he is an Ajin and flees before the authorities experiment on him. Other Ajin plan to fight back and he must choose a side."

Available 4/14/2016

"Moonwalkers" (2015)
"Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine" (2015)

Available 4/15/2016

"Belgica" (2016)
"Cuckoo" Netflix Original Season 3
"Kong King of the Apes" Netflix Original film and series
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" Netflix Original Season 2 

Available 4/16/2016

"How to Get Away with Murder" Season 2

Available 4/17/2016

"Lost Girl" Season 5
"The Messengers" Season 1

Available 4/22/2016

"Catching the Sun" (2015)
"Patton Oswalt: Tallking for Clapping" Netflix Original 
A one-hour stand-up comedy special.

Avaialble 4/24/2016

"Minions" (2015)

Available 4/27/2016

"Begin Again" (2014)
"The Fosters" Season 3

Available 4/29/2016

"Danger Mouse" Netflix Original Season 1
"The world's greatest super­spy returns to save the world with the help of hapless hamster Penfold and a collection of state­of­the­art gadgetry."
"Hellion" (2014)
"Special Correspondents" (2016) Netflix Original
"Ricky Gervais's hilarious comedy follows a struggling radio journalist and his hapless technician faking frontline war reports from a NYC hideout."
"Team Foxcatcher" (2016) Netflix Original
"With never­before seen home video, this film recounts the paranoid downward spiral of John E. du Pont and the murder of Olympic wrestler David Schultz."

Available 4/30/2016

"Sensitive Skin" Season 2

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NOW WATCH: Justin Bieber made an unknown 17-year-old famous with a single picture

Three years after director Zack Snyder launched the latest rebirth of the Superman franchise with "Man of Steel," he returns with an even more ambitious task: kicking off the birth of the larger DC Comics universe in theaters with Superman fighting Batman.    

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is much darker and more complex than Disney's global box office-conquering Marvel properties, and takes itself more seriously than the raunchy jokester Deadpool over at 20th Century Fox, and for that it finds a great niche in our current superhero movie consumption. 

Like "Man of Steel,""Batman v Superman" contains some 9/11-like imagery. We pick up at the violent conclusion of "Steel" with Superman (Henry Cavill) battling General Zod while slamming in and out of the buildings of Metropolis (oh, and let's not forget the "World Engine" doing damage as well). Bruce Wayne's (Ben Affleck) Wayne Financial building is one of the skyscrapers that have been destroyed, killing a close confidant along with thousands of others in the city.

As far as Wayne is concerned, there's only one person to blame for this destruction and loss of life: Superman. A god among men.

That's a big part of "Batman v Superman": When trouble happens, people look into the sky for a caped wonder to save them. And as he usually does, Snyder delivers some incredible imagery to portray this, from onlookers kneeling before Superman after he saves a girl from a burning building to a woman's outstretched arms as he comes down from the sky to save her from a flood. 

But does Superman's powers need to be regulated? Wayne thinks so, and begins to find ways to stop him. And, out of very different motivations, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) is also trying to find a way to curtail his powers.

Much of the 2-hour-and-31-minute running time is spent building up to when Superman and Batman finally go head-to-head. I wouldn't say things drag, since the score by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL keeps you intrigued, and we get to let Affleck as Batman sink in. One highlight is an insane dream sequence Wayne has that you need to see for yourself.

Luthor finally devises a way to get Superman to face Batman, and that's when the fun begins.

I can't say Cavill is my favorite Superman, but he's impressive in the fight sequences. Affleck does very well playing a believable Batman. He certainly will surprise many. And the connection between the characters of losing their fathers drives home their push to do good for others.

But the real electricity on-screen comes from Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.

She steals ever scene she's in, and has a look and swagger that are perfect for the superhero. Though Wonder Woman is in the background most of the movie, showing up here and there to be a thorn in Wayne's side, her largest chunk of screen time comes when she's needed most. And honestly, the way she's teased throughout makes her worth the wait.

I would definitely watch a whole movie dedicated to Wonder Woman. Gadot knows what she's doing.

Then there are some funny things you'll catch, like news announcers making it clear where Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are fighting away from the public (a big gripe about "Man of Steel" was all the damage that was done in very public places). Or the bright idea of keeping the ship that did all the damage in "Man of Steel," used by Luthor for evil purposes here, right in Metropolis. Shouldn't it have been taken somewhere else?

"Batman v Superman," though a little long a times, is an enjoyable superhero movie, even if you don't love every superhero movie. It's definitely a lot better than "Man of Steel," and what it does best will no doubt make studio Warner Bros. happy: It makes you genuinely excited for the evolution of this new DC Comics cinematic world in the coming years. Hopefully with a lot more Wonder Woman.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" opens in theaters Friday.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

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NOW WATCH: Justin Bieber made an unknown 17-year-old famous with a single picture

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" marks the second time Henry Cavill has played the Man of Steel, and with that experience comes more knowledge of how to maneuver in tights and a cape. 

While a guest on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" on Tuesday, Cavill revealed why he was more comfortable in the Superman costume this time around. 

Talking to the costume designer he said, "The first suit was great and I loved it, but just creatively, I would really like to be able to pee this time. Whenever I choose."

Cavill told Meyers that for "Man of Steel," it took him about 15-20 minutes to get the suit off and use the bathroom, but the new suit was "a lot easier."

So when you go to see "Batman v Superman," just know at least Cavill didn't have to hold it for hours while on set.

Watch the full clip here.

SEE ALSO: Here's everything leaving Netflix in April that you should watch

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Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, and she's stealing the show.

For those unfamiliar with her name, the 30-year-old actress is best known for her roles in four "Fast and Furious" films.

But before she was in action films, she was Miss Israel and served two years in the Israeli army.

She's bringing the comic-book Amazonian princess to life alongside Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," out March 25 and, based on early reviews, she's a fan favorite. 

Many critics are saying Gal Gadot is the best part of the movie.

She'll also star in the standalone "Wonder Woman" film scheduled for 2017 and (at least) two "Justice League" movies.

Get to know the scene-stealing Wonder Woman below:

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

Gal Gadot was born in Israel on April 30, 1985. Her mom was a teacher, and her father was an engineer.

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Growing up, Gadot wanted to be a choreographer before switching her sights to law, but her plans changed after she met a pageant scout.

Source: Glamour

She participated in the 2004 Miss Israel contest and won, which launched her into a modeling career.

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It hasn't been a good start for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." The highly anticipated Warner Bros. superhero movie, in which two of the biggest comic-book characters face off, screened for critics. And the outcome is bleak.

The reviews rushed online on Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, and the film's rating on Rotten Tomatoes stands at around 40% as of this writing. Not what Warner Bros. was hoping for, though the "want to see" rating on Rotten Tomatoes is at 98%. And the movie accounts for 90% of this weekend's ticket sales on Fandango so far.

That's a big reason why Exhibitor Relations' senior box-office analyst, Jeff Bock, is still bullish on the film having a strong US opening this weekend.

"It's two of the most iconic figures in comics and that should still push it past $150 million," Bock told Business Insider by email on Tuesday evening as the negative reviews came in.

Bock said that Exhibitor Relations is predicting the film to do around $163 million domestically this weekend.

That's certainly not going to come close to the record-breaking $248 million opening of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," but Bock admits that that kind of business for a blockbuster release happens only when the buzz is heavily positive.

"The negative reviews for 'Batman v Superman' certainly will curtail a mega-opening — fence sitters will likely shy away from it this weekend, and families definitely consider reviews when they have to drop $100 at a movie theater," he said.

Bock believes there's a more realistic goal "Batman v Superman" has to hit to save face within the industry.

"No matter how you spin it, at the very least it has to do 'Deadpool' business to be considered a successful weekend," he said.

"Deadpool" made $132 million during its opening weekend, a record for a February release.

A lot is riding on "Batman v Superman." It's essentially the launch of the DC Comics universe coming to the big screen, similar to what Disney has done with its Marvel movies. Warner Bros. has "Suicide Squad" opening in August, which will include a cameo from Ben Affleck's Batman, and "Justice League" parts one and two are already slated for 2017 and 2019 releases, respectively.

The true test for the movie's overall success will be how it does overseas. It's opening in China this weekend, too — "The Force Awakens" didn't open in China until weeks after it played in the US and other territories.

"Jurassic World" made the same play and took in $99 million in China during its opening weekend. It went on to make over $1 billion overseas.

Back here in the States, you'll have a good indication of how "Batman v Superman" will fare based on its Thursday-night preview showings. "Deadpool" had a record-breaking $12.7 million in its preview.

SEE ALSO: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Ben Affleck gave a group of unsuspecting Batman fans the surprise of a lifetime

Now that we've seen "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (opening March 25), with its new look at the Dark Knight as Ben Affleck takes over the character, it's time to take stock of the best — and the worst — Batmans we've seen in movies and TV. 

The Batman of the screen has evolved from a witty crime fighter on TV to a darkly conflicted man in the movies.

Fans of Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, are extremely loyal to the actor they believe portrayed him best. Any objection is liable to lead to rowdy debates. Who can forget Seth Rogen and Zac Efron arguing the better Batman — Michael Keaton or Christian Bale — in "Neighbors"?

So let's add some more fuel to this superhero debate. Here are the actors who played Batman on TV and in movies (we've excluded animation, with a couple of important exceptions), ranked, starting with the worst.

Here are the Batman actors from worst to best, and where Affleck falls:

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9. George Clooney ("Batman & Robin," 1997)

Still trying to find his footing post-"ER," Clooney was jumping back and forth between romantic comedies and action movies when he took the Batman role after Val Kilmer was one-and-done in "Batman Forever." It turned out to be a disaster. Fans were exhausted by director Joel Schumacher's colorful aesthetic and the cartoonish villains played by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Mr. Freeze) and Uma Thurman (Poison Ivy). And Clooney’s Batman was too jokey. The gruff Dark Knight had become playful and soft.

"Batman & Robin" is the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise, making $238 million worldwide.

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8. Lewis G. Wilson "The Batman" TV show, 1943)

Wilson has the distinction of being the first actor to play Batman, starring in the 1943 series. Though he had the comics as a reference point, Wilson was still at a disadvantage being the first to put on the tights. He holds his own, but it's certainly not a performance that is memorable, as you can see in the footage here.

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7. Robert Lowery (“Batman and Robin” TV show, 1949)

The second effort at a Batman series led to the casting of a bigger actor to play Batman. Lowery's physique and the show's better fight scenes make for a more enjoyable experience. 

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With his latest film, "Midnight Special," director Jeff Nichols takes his first step into the studio system after hits in the indie-film world ("Mud,""Take Shelter").

Resembling early Steven Spielberg movies, "Midnight Special" follows a father and his son, who has special powers, as they race from authorities.

Along with strong performances from Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, and Adam Driver, the movie is a unique science-fiction tale that brings to mind numerous classics of the genre.

Business Insider spoke to Nichols about the sci-fi movies that inspire him.

"Midnight Special" is currently playing in theaters.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Every actor who's played Batman, from best to worst

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977)

Following the sensation of "Jaws," Steven Spielberg made one of the most memorable sci-fi movies of all time, stretching what we thought could be done with visual effects along with providing a touching story front-and-center. It was a movie experience that Nichols has never forgotten.

"The first experience, you're swept up in the moment of the aliens and spaceships," Nichols said. "But then you go back and you look at the film again and you see how Spielberg looks at suburban life in America in the '70s and it was incredible. The accurate representation of the kid's bedrooms and the den, it made the mystery more immediate for me as a kid."

"Starman" (1984)

John Carpenter is known best for his classic films like "Halloween" and "Escape from New York," but one of his lesser-known titles is this intimate tale starring Jeff Bridges as an alien who takes the form of a widow's husband. He and the widow travel to where the Starman will be picked up by his people, though the government attempts to intervene.

"A big experience growing up was trolling through late-night television and that's where I came across 'Starman,'" Nichols said. "I can distinctly remember the first time I saw it. It was in letterbox and just didn't look like anything else on television. The tone of the film, the sincerity of it. I was really struck by it."

"Cloak & Dagger" (1984)

Not all science fiction has to include aliens from another world. Made on the cusp of the home video game craze, "Cloak & Dagger" stars Henry Thomas as Davey, a young boy who loves the world of espionage and whose imaginary friend (played by Dabney Coleman) is the main character of his favorite video game. But he finds himself really on the run from bad guys when he realizes the video game he's carrying is in fact filled with top secrets that could be dangerous if in the wrong hands.

"A big inspiration for 'Midnight Special' was the energy of being a kid in the '80s," Nichols said. "And this movie was so great because I remember carrying a backpack just like Davey, and I would have things in the bag just in case I would have to encounter a group of bad guys like he did. For me that was so much fun."

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. Unfortunately, the movie is a complete mess. A lot of that blame can fall on director Zack Snyder, who has also caught heat with comic fans in the past for "Man of Steel."

"Batman v Superman" will be out in theaters on March 20th.

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Andrew Fowler

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When "The LEGO Movie" was released February 2014, it surprised everyone by becoming an instant box-office hit. It quickly spawned a sequel (2018) and spinoffs, the first of which will be 2017's standalone Batman movie.

Warner Bros. released the first trailer for "The LEGO Batman Movie" Thursday and it looks, well, awesome.

Will Arnett will return as the Caped Crusader while Michael Cera will play his sidekick Robin. The rest of the cast is pretty big, too. Rosario Dawson will play Batgirl and Ralph Fiennes will be Batman's butler, Alfred, and Zach Galifianakis will be the Joker. Mariah Carey will also voice the mayor.

"The LEGO Batman Movie" will be directed by "The LEGO Movie" co-director Chris McKay and will be in theaters February 10, 2017.

Check out the trailer below:

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While most fans will be paying attention to the action and Easter eggs in "Batman v Superman" this weekend, here's one other thing you may want to keep an eye out for while watching the big event movie.

New York Mag and Vulture senior editor Kyle Buchanan noticed a fashion trend shared across the board by four of the film's main cast. Ben Affleck (Bruce Wayne), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Jeremy Irons (Alfred), and Laurence Fishburne (Perry White) are all wearing vests.

Why do so many characters share the same fashion sense in "BvS"?

I mentioned this to "Batman v Superman" costume designer Michael Wilkinson during a phone call Thursday afternoon. He burst out laughing in response to the observation.

"That's so funny," Wilkinson said. "I hadn't even thought about that before. That's so funny. I think it's just an item of clothing that I love and that may be represented on screen. It was absolutely not a conscious decision that I made."

"I'm thrilled that people are looking," he added. "That's amazing."

We can't argue with that. It's some impressive attention to detail to spot that among everything else going on in the film.

"Batman v Superman" is in theaters Friday, March 25, 2016.

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Though he’s a little busy playing Superman, Henry Cavill revealed on British late-night show “The Graham Norton Show” that he would be up for taking on another iconic character if the opportunity came up.

While on the show with his “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” castmates Ben Affleck and Amy Adams to promote the movie, Cavill was asked if he would consider taking over for Daniel Craig as James Bond. He didn’t shy away from his interest.

"Obviously I’m very busy with the Superman stuff but if there were any windows and they wanted me to do that kind of role it would be great and I would love to do it," he told Norton on the episode that airs on Friday, according to Digital Spy. 

So add Cavill to the long list of well-groomed actors who want to be the next Bond, which includes Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, and Hugh Jackman.

Cavill did show off his spy skills as a CIA agent in last year's “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” so it woudln’t be a stretch.

But after playing someone as notable as Superman, it might be hard for audiences to take him seriously as Bond.

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The DC Universe will finally kick off Friday with the opening of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."

"Batman v Superman" lays the groundwork for a new series of superhero films with appearances from Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman, with nods to even more icons.

While Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War"will be the 13th film in its cinematic universe, the DC Comics' multiverse is still only in the single digits.

That's about to change. Back in October 2014, the studio announced 10 new films over the next five years, with "Batman V Superman" as only the first.

Read on to find see what's next for DC's biggest heroes and villains.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," out March 25, is the first DC entry of 2016.

Following "BvS" is "Suicide Squad," about a group of supervillains who team up to take down an even bigger villain.

The film will introduce fan favorite Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) to the big screen.

With studios now spending nearly as much for marketing blockbusters as they do on the actual movies these days, a return on investment for these tentpoles is more important than ever.

And with Warner Bros.’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” opening in theaters virtually everywhere around the world this weekend, the stakes are high for the studio. Especially if you believe the rumors of how much the company has put into it.

The anticipated showdown between Henry Cavill's Superman and Ben Affleck's Batman launches a planned franchise based on the DC Comics characters, which Warner hopes could be as massively profitable as Disney's Marvel universe.

To achieve that, Warner Bros. would have to spend like Disney, and word around the industry is that by the time the movie is out this weekend, it will cost the studio around $400 million to release.

It’s not such an insane number when you break it down. If the production budget for “Batman v Superman” is in line with previous Warner superhero movies (“The Dark Knight Rises” and “Man of Steel”) then it's $225-$250 million (the studio has not commented on how much the movie costs). Disney spent $250 million to make “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

If you then add the usual $150 million for worldwide marketing that studios spend on a movie of this size, that gets you to around the $400 million figure.

To keep the studio in the black on the film, it must be released far and wide. "Batman v Superman" is opening in the US in over 4,000 locations by Friday (rarely done for a movie not being released over the summer) and it's going to the world's largest movie market behind the US, China. Often studios won’t open a film there until later due to regulatory issues and the fear of piracy, but Warner Bros. is going against the grain and hoping for a big payoff.

Early projections estimate the film’s global box office to be at $350 million (it will be released on 35,000 screens worldwide) by the time Easter weekend is over. 

That would be more than “The Dark Knight Rises” or “Man of Steel” opened with, but below movies like “Age of Ultron” ($392.5 million), “Jurassic World” ($524.9 million), or all-time earner “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($529 million). 

But looking outside of the all-important opening weekend, the movie also has to have staying power.

All the above titles, except for one, grossed over $1 billion worldwide in their respective theatrical runs, and to play in the Disney sandbox, Warner Bros. has to hit that number with “Batman v Superman.”

On paper, it looks very possible, but the one thing that could hurt the movie is word of mouth, which could become poisoned if fans agree with critics who have been down on the film.

Critics don’t make or break a movie of this size, but if, after this weekend, audiences globally think how the critics do (the movie has a current rating of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes), that affects repeat trips or people who were waiting to see it after the insanity of opening weekend. Which then makes it harder to hit that $1 billion mark.

The one title above that didn’t make $1 billion is “Man of Steel,” Warner Bros.’ previous DC movie that introduced us to Cavill as Superman. Directed by Zack Snyder, who also helmed “Batman v Superman,” the movie had a good opening weekend of $116 million on 4,207 theaters, but then shot down 64.6% in ticket sales its next weekend on the same number of screens. Again, due to poor reviews and word of mouth. 

Warner Bros. is hoping history doesn’t repeat itself. If it does, Disney will still look like the winner.

SEE ALSO: "Batman v Superman" could lose a lot of money based on its bad reviews, according to a box office expert

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