Joker continues to climb to incredible heights, passing $900 million at the box office. The Todd Phillips-directed film brought out by Warner Bros. and DC has hit a slew of milestones since its early October release, recently beating out Deadpool 2 as the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time. It's also struck a chord with audiences and the now infamous staircase that Joker dances down has now become something of a tourist attraction, with people from all over coming to snap a shot of themselves and friends on the steps.
The unprecedented success of the film is certainly something to marvel at because it was unknown how a nontraditional comic book movie would resonate with audiences. But with all of the buzz and numbers just off the chart, people are calling Joker one of the best movies of the year. The performance of actor Joaquin Phoenix as a mentally ill clown for hire turned brutal murderer, in particular, has people talking, with many calling his Joker a disturbing and deeply unsettling portrayal of the classic DC villain.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Joker has hit another big milestone this weekend as it is crossing the $900 million mark for world wide box office numbers. With a "relatively modest" budget of $60 million before marketing, this film is considered a huge win for Warner Bros. since its early October release. It's reported that the movie will finish off its fifth weekend in theaters at a "global total of $920 million." Box office analysts also predict that Joker will "gross $950 million or more by the end of its theatrical run," with a good shot of "clearing $1 billion."
THR also reports that in terms of the top-grossing superhero films of all time, Joker has now "passed up Spider-Man 3" which hit $895 million at the box office. And it currently sits as the "fourth-top grossing DC title of all time," just behind Aquaman's $1.14 billion, The Dark Knight Rises's $1.08 billion, and The Dark Knight, which hit the $1 billion mark by the end of its release.
With Joker being one of the most versatile villains to exist in the superhero world - and there being so many different portrayals that have run the gamut - it truly says something that audiences continue to flock to the theaters for this movie weekend after weekend. It really goes to show that sometimes going the nontraditional route really pays off in terms of creativity and story-telling. Thanks to the off-the-charts box office numbers and all of the award buzz for Phoenix's portrayal, Joker is set to be one of the most talked about films of 2019.
Source: THR
