Many 'Dark Knight' screenings sold out

LOS ANGELES, July 16 (UPI) -- Hundreds of U.S. screenings of the soon-to-be-released "The Dark Knight" have already sold out, the ticket broker Fandango said Wednesday.

The latest Batman film stars Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader and the late Heath Ledger as the villainous Joker.

Set to open in the United States Friday, the movie will make its debut with nearly 2,500 Thursday midnight showings nationwide.

Fandango said the movie is driving 90 percent of all ticket sales on its Web site, while hundreds of showtimes for "The Dark Knight" are already sold out through the weekend.

"At this point in the film's sales cycle, 'The Dark Knight' is outselling all major releases since 2005's 'Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith,'" Rick Butler, Fandango's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "And it's benefiting from the highest fan anticipation of any movie this year. The late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker marks one of those rare occurrences where an actor's Oscar-worthy performance coincides with certain box office success."