The much-anticipated superhero thriller 'The Dark Knight' broke the record for a weekend movie opening by earning an estimated $155.3 million, studio estimates showed, beating out previous record-holder, 'Spider-Man 3,' by just $4 million!

'The Dark Knight' first set a one-day box office record by taking in $66.4 million on Friday, according to its distributor, Warner Bros. Then, the film broke the record for best weekend opening by earning an estimated $155.3 million, beating out 'Spider-Man 3,' which brought in $151.1 million during its weekend opening in May 2007.

Warner Bros.' latest installment in the Batman franchise, with a budget of $180 million, stars Christian Bale as billionaire Bruce Wayne, whose alter ego attempts to protect Gotham City from a host of pesky villains. This time around, Batman, who gets romantic with a sexy crusader named Rachel Dawes, (Maggie Gyllenhaal), raises the stakes in his war on crime.