The Dark Knight Rises has its eye on the record books, with massive box office numbers pouring in. The latest estimate is that this Batman finale will take in between $80 million and $85 million today. That mark would top Marvel's The Avengers' $80.8 million opening day back in May, although it still falls short of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2's record of $91 million from last summer.

Earlier today, we reported that director Christopher Nolan's Batman finale earned an estimated $28 million from midnight screenings last night. Now that figure has been upgraded to $30.6 million, breaking The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1's midnight record of $30.2 million last fall. Rival studios are projecting an opening weekend between $180 million and $200 million, which would put it short of Marvel's The Avengers's $207.4 million three-day record. Don't count The Dark Knight out just yet, though, because a lot can happen between now and Sunday morning, when the box office figures are released.

In related news, AMC Theaters has responded to the tragic Colorado shooting from last night, by banning all guests who are wearing costumes, masks, or carrying fake weapons. Here is part of the theater chain's statement regarding their upgraded security policies.

"We're reinforcing our security procedures with our theater teams, which we cannot discuss in detail for obvious, safety reasons. Local law enforcement agencies, our landlords and their and our local security teams are stepping up nationwide to ensure we provide the safest environment possible for our guests. We couldn't be more grateful for their collective support."

Be sure to check back on Sunday to see how Batman's swan song fared at the box office this weekend.