Every superhero needs a supervillain. For Hollywood’s leading lights, their arch-enemy is the film pirate. But in spite of this fearsome foe, Tinseltown is in good shape. The US box office enjoyed the largest takings in history last weekend and the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, also broke records for an individual film’s first weekend, taking $155m. By moving their focus from small-budget films to blockbusters, like all the best action heroes, cinema is fighting back.

This success might seem surprising. There is more competition for consumers’ attention from television and online entertainment than ever before. Film piracy is a growing problem. Meanwhile, Hollywood has never looked so unimaginative. The Dark Knight is the fourth big movie about a superhero this year.