Joker Set for Record-Breaking Second Weekend at the Box Office

Jamie Lovett

10/12/2019 12:05 pm EDT

Joker is set for another weekend as the biggest film at the box office. The film is expected to earn $58.7 million in its second weekend at the box office, blowing past more conservative projections that had it down for around $40 million. That's also the biggest second weekend for a film in October in box office history, far surpassing Gravity's $43.1 million in 2013.

In its opening weekend, Joker broke the October record set by Venom last year when it debuted to $80 million, as well as Venom's October Friday box office record by earning $39.8 million on its first day in theaters. It was also a career-best opening for director Todd Phillips, whose previous high opening was The Hangover 2's $85.9 million, and an opening weekend record for star Joaquin Phoenix, whose previous high mark was $60.1 million for Signs in 2002. The film is now closing in on $200 million at the domestic box office.

Joker is a grounded, R-rated origin story for Batman's archnemesis, the Joker. Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, who descends into madness and emerges as the clown-faced killer known as the Joker. The film also stars Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, and Marc Maron.

The film is proving polarizing with critics. ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis calls the film a masterpiece is his 5-star review, writing, "Whether or not Joker is a social commentary on issues such as poverty or mental illness, a new and mysterious take on the best known DC Comics villain, or just another unforgettable piece of cinema which producer Martin Scorsese is attached to, you'll need to see to believe it and, even then, you still might not believe it."

The new animated The Addams Family movie opens in second play with $31 million. Ang Lee and Will Smith's Gemini Man disappoints with a $20 million, third-place opening. Keep reading to see this weekend's top 10 at the box office.

1. Joker

(Photo: Warner Bros. / DC)

Week Two
Friday: $17 million
Weekend: $58.7 million
Total: $185 million

Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

Joker is directed by Todd Phillips. He co-wrote the film's screenplay with Scott Silver. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, with Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, and Marc Maron.

2. The Addams Family

(Photo: MGM)

Opening Weekend
Friday: $9.6 million
Weekend: $31.5 million

Members of the mysterious and spooky Addams family -- Gomez, Morticia, Pugsley, Wednesday, Uncle Fester and Grandma -- are readily preparing for a visit from their even creepier relatives. But trouble soon arises when shady TV personality Margaux Needler realizes that the Addams' eerie hilltop mansion is standing in the way of her dream to sell all the houses in the neighborhood.

The Addams Family is based on the comics by Charles Addams. The film is directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, and stars Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, and Allison Janney.

3. Gemini Man

(Photo: Paramount)

Opening Weekend
Friday: $7.5 million
Weekend: $20 million

Henry Brogan is an elite assassin who becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move. To his horror, he soon learns that the man who's trying to kill him is a younger, faster, cloned version of himself.

Gemini Man is directed by Ang Lee, written by David Benioff, Billy Ray, and Darren Lemke, and stars Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, and Benedict Wong.

4. Abominable

(Photo: DreamWorks)

Week Three
Friday: $1.8 million
Weekend: $7.7 million
Total: $49.5 million

After discovering a Yeti on the roof of her apartment building, teenage Yi and her two friends embark on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family. But to do so, they must stay one step ahead of a wealthy financier and a determined zoologist who want to capture the beast for their own gain.

Abominable is written and directed by Jill Culton and co-directed by Todd Wilderman. The film features the voices of Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Eddie Izzard, Sarah Paulson, Tsai Chin and Michelle Wong.

5. Downton Abbey

(Photo: Focus Features)

Week Four
Friday: $1.3 million
Weekend: $4.4 million
Total: $82.1 million

Excitement is high at Downton Abbey when the Crawley family learns that King George V and Queen Mary are coming to visit. But trouble soon arises when Mrs. Patmore, Daisy and the rest of the servants learn that the king and queen travel with their own chefs and attendants -- setting the stage for an impromptu scheme and other shenanigans.

A continuation of the television series of the same name, Downton Abbey is directed by Michael Engler from a screenplay written by series creator Julian Fellowes. The film stars Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, and Penelope Wilton.

6. Hustlers

(Photo: STX Entertainment)

Week Five
Friday: $1.7 million
Weekend: $3.8 million
Total: $94.1 million

Working as a stripper to make ends meet, Destiny's life changes forever when she becomes friends with Ramona -- the club's top money earner. Ramona soon shows Destiny how to finagle her way around the wealthy Wall street clientele who frequent the club. But when the 2008 economic collapse cuts into their profits, the gals and two other dancers devise a daring scheme to take their lives back.

Hustlers is written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on the 2015 New York magazine article "The Hustlers at Scores" by Jessica Pressler. The film stars Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, and Cardi B.

7. Jexi

(Photo: CBS Films)

Opening Weekend
Friday: $1.25 million
Weekend: $3.1 million

A man's new cellphone turns into a technological nightmare when the artificial intelligence program becomes obsessed with him.

Jexi is directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore and stars Adam DeVine, Alexandra Shipp, Michael Peña, Rose Byrne, Justin Hartley, Wanda Sykes, Ron Funches, and Charlyne Yi.

8. It: Chapter Two

(Photo: WB / New Line)

Week Six
Friday: $870,000
Weekend: $2.9 million
Total: $204.8 million

Defeated by members of the Losers' Club, the evil clown Pennywise returns 27 years later to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine, once again. Now adults, the childhood friends have long since gone their separate ways. But when people start disappearing, Mike Hanlon calls the others home for one final stand. Damaged by scars from the past, the united Losers must conquer their deepest fears to destroy the shape-shifting Pennywise -- now more powerful than ever.

It Chapter Two is directed by Andy Muschietti, written by Gary Dauberman, and stars Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Wyatt Oleff.

9. Judy

(Photo: Roadside Attractions)

Week Two
Friday: $955,000
Weekend: $2.9 million
Total: $12.7 million

Thirty years after starring in The Wizard of Oz, beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Judy is directed by Rupert Goold, based on the play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. The film stars Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Michael Gambon.

10. Ad Astra

Week Four
Friday: $563,000
Weekend: $2 million
Total: $45.7 million

Thirty years ago, Clifford McBride led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now his son -- a fearless astronaut -- must embark on a daring mission to Neptune to uncover the truth about his missing father and a mysterious power surge that threatens the stability of the universe.

Ad Astra is directed by James Gray from a screenplay he co-wrote with Ethan gross. The film stars Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler, and Donald Sutherland.

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.