Joker to Have Record-Breaking Opening Weekend at the Box Office

Joker is set to break records in its opening weekend. The film is on track for a $94 million opening weekend at the box office. That’s more than enough to surpass the October opening weekend record set by Venom last year when it debuted to $80 million. Joker already broke the October Friday box office record by earning $39.8 million on its first day in theaters. It is also a career-best opening for director Todd Phillips, whose previous high opening was The Hangover 2‘s $85.9 million. It’s also an opening weekend record for star Joaquin Phoenix, whose previous high mark was $60.1 million for Signs in 2002.

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-out-of-5 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.”

Last week’s top film, the animated feature Abominable, moves into second place this weekend with $12 million. The Downton Abbey movie movies into third place, adding $8.4 million to its total, which now stands at $74 million. Hustlers takes fourth place, earning $6.2 million and bringing its total to $91.2 million. It Chapter Two rounds out the top five with $4.9 million for the weekend, bringing its total to $201.7. Keep reading to this weekend’s top ten at the box office.

1. Joker

Opening Weekend
Friday: $39.8 million
Weekend: $94 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. Abominable

Week Two
Friday: $2.8 million
Weekend: $12 million
Total: $37.8 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.

3. Downton Abbey

Week Three
Friday: $2.5 million
Weekend: $8.4 million
Total: $74 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.

4. Hustlers

Week Four
Friday: $2 million
Weekend: $6.2 million
Total: $91.2 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. 

5. It Chapter Two

Week Five
Friday: $1.4 million
Weekend: $4.9 million
Total: $201.7 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.

6. Ad Astra

Week Three
Friday: $1.3 million
Weekend: $4.4 million
Total: $43.6 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.

7. Judy

Week Two
Friday: $1.3 million
Weekend: $4.1 million
Total: $8.6 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.

8. Rambo: Last Blood

Week Three
Friday: $1.1 million
Weekend: $$3.9 million
Total: $40.1 million

When a friend’s daughter is kidnapped, Rambo crosses the U.S.-Mexico border to bring her home but finds himself up against one of Mexico’s most ruthless cartels.

Rambo: Last Blood is directed by Adrian Grunberg from a screenplay written by Matthew Cirulnick and Sylvester Stallone. Stallone reprises his role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. The film also stars Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adriana Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim, Joaquín Cosío, and Oscar Jaenada. 

9. War

Opening Weekend
Friday: $500,000
Weekend: $1.6 million
Total: $2.1 million

The biggest action entertainer of the year will see both these incredible action stars push their bodies to the limit to pull off never-seen-before, death-defying action stunts that will keep you on the edge of your seats. War is set to be a visual spectacle for quintessential action cinema lovers as they would witness Hrithik and Tiger pull off jaw-dropping sequences as they try to beat each other.

War is directed by Siddharth Anand and stars Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. 

10. Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy

Opening Weekend
Friday: $310,000
Weekend: $1 million
Total: $2.3 million

Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy starts a rebellion against the British East India Company.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy is directed by Surender Reddy, inspired by the life of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy. The film stars Chiranjeevi, Nayanthara, Tamannaah, Jagapati Babu, Sudeep, and Vijay Sethupathi.