Hot Time for Heroes

The all-time top-earning movie not directed by James Cameron (The Avengers) and the end of the Batman trilogy (The Dark Knight Rises) headlined a so-so box office that will bring in about as much revenue as last summer’s. The Olympics and the Aurora, Colo., shootings kept some patrons at home. But since franchises made the big money, expect more of the same next summer.

Top-Grossing Films Worldwide

People’s choice: four comic-book-based movies and a cartoon*

[The following text appears within a chart. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual chart.]

THE AVENGERS

$1.49 billion

$618 million in the U.S. and Canada

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

$697 million

$258 million

MEN IN BLACK 3

$622 million

$179 million

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

$941 million

$422 million

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT

$815 million

$154 million

*AS OF AUG. 26, ACCORDING TO BOX OFFICE MOJO

You Sank My Movie!

Battleship made $65 MILLION in North America

And cost $209 MILLION to make

Match the Review to the Title

Quotes from TIME’s Richard Corliss and Mary Pols

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.]

Blockbuster Rivalries

Superhero Showdown

THE AVENGERS vs. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Iron Man and friends soared to No. 3 all-time (after Titanic and Avatar), leaving Batman and Catwoman in the dark

Ab-solutely Fabulous

MAGIC MIKE vs. ROCK OF AGES

Channing Tatum’s taut torso sold nearly triple the tickets Tom Cruise’s did, but at 50, Tom still looks terrific

Top Indie Film

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL vs. MOONRISE KINGDOM

It’s a tie! Old folks and Wes Anderson fans flocked to these movies, each of which will earn nearly $50 million

Fairy-Tale Face-Off

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN vs. MIRROR MIRROR

Charlize Theron defeated Julia Roberts by $90 million, aided in part by co-star Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame