Batman’s $47m fails to stop box-office nosedive

BATMAN was powerful enough to rule at the US box office on its opening weekend but the superhero was unable to pull Hollywood out of its worst slump in 20 years.

Batman Begins debuted as the top movie with $46.9 million, while overall movie revenues skidded for the 17th straight weekend, tying a slide in 1985 that had been the longest box-office decline since records on movie grosses began.

The slump may be a sign that more people are watching movies at home. An Associated Press-AOL poll last week found that 73% of adults prefer watching movies on DVD, videotape or pay-per-view rather than going to the cinema.