'Dark Knight' Studio Will Donate Funds to Colorado Shooting Victims
As we settle into the blurry and at times confusing aftermath of the Aurora tragedy, there's news today that Warner Bros., the studio behind The Dark Knight Rises, is making a sizeable lump sum donation to charities caring for the victims of the shooting spree. "The studio will not release publically the amount of the lump sum donation but sources say it is 'substantial.'" The Hollywood Reporter's Matthew Belloni reports, while The Denver Post's Lisa Kennedy notes, "The announcement is expected early Tuesday morning." Belloni explains that the studio will contribute to a fund on GivingFirst.org, a branch of Denver's Community First Foundation philanthropy program. Giving First has, as The New York Daily News Kristen Lee reported yesterday, already raised $32,000 for non-profits and charities like the Aurora Mental Health Center and the Bonfils Blood Centers which are supporting shooting victims. And Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper announced over the weekend that he planned to create a fund to match donations given to Giving First. While we don't know the exact sum, we do know that The Dark Knight Rises raked in a record-setting $160.9 million for the studio this weekend, which Belloni reports is a record-breaker.
