A screen-matched Batwing model from Tim Burton’s “Batman” will headline Propstore's movie auction next month.
Measuring 6-feet long, the filming model was the only one of its size built for the movie and has been given a pre-sale estimate of $250,000 to $500,000. Other smaller models were used in filming wide shots to emphasize the movement of the vehicle.
After filming, the prop was repainted inaccurately, according to the description provided by Propstore, and it has since been repainted again to reflect the accurate original look.
In other lots at Propstore, the coat worn by Kate Winslet in “Titanic” during the film’s pivotal scene as the ship sank will hit the auction block and carries an estimate of $125,000 to $250,000.
Screen-matched to a scene in which Winslet’s character, Rose, speaks to Victor Garber's character about the ship sinking, it’s one of multiple coats produced for the final sequence of the film, as filming required the cloth to be submerged in a water tank for extended periods of time.
A previous auction of a similar coat failed to meet its $300,000 minimum in 2019, despite bids up to $275,000.
Also included in the multi-day auction, which is estimated to bring in around $10 million total, is a box of chocolates from “Forrest Gump,” famous from the scenes in which Tom Hanks delivers his iconic line “life is like a box of chocolates.”
The lot, which is estimated to fetch $20,000 to $40,000, is not screen-matched. Propstore writes that it is “believed to be a real-world chocolate box lid” and includes the original cellophane film-covered chocolates. The description also notes that the box features a yellow ribbon which is seen in the film’s rain scenes.
Last year, another box of chocolates produced for the film was purchased by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for $25,000. That box was signed by Hanks and filled with sand rather than chocolates to add weight to the box so Hanks could more easily hold the prop in his lap during filming.
The auction set to take place starting Aug. 15 over the span of four days and features 1,912 lots.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct. You can follow him on X at @Will__Stern.