Weekend Box Office Report: Joker laughs all the way to the top!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Audiences are down with the clown!

Although Batman was nowhere in sight, his comic book nemesis hit the big time all by himself this weekend as JOKER premiered at #1 with an estimated opening of $93.5 million!

The Clown Prince of Crime scored the biggest October opening of all time by defeating Tom Hardy and Marvel/Sony's anti-hero origin story VENOM, which started last October with $80.2 million.

Alone, the painted villain was nearly a match for the collection of DC Comics' A-list superheroes — JUSTICE LEAGUE started with $93.8 million when it opened in 2017.

Joaquin Phoenix's homicidal funnyman (in the best box office debut for the actor) had the fourth-biggest domestic opening ever for an R-rated movie, behind both DEADPOOL movies ($132.4 million for the first and $125.5 million for the sequel) and fellow clown IT, which lured $123.4 million for the first chapter in 2017.

Directed by Todd Phillips (OLD SCHOOL, THE HANGOVER series), the gritty new origin of the Dark Knight's arch-rival was rumored to cost between $60 million and $70 million.

Also featuring Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz, the Martin Scorsese-inspired twist on the fiendish funny-man's beginnings looted $140.5 million from international crowds for a $234 million worldwide weekend.

Critics generally had good things to say about Phoenix's performance as the unhinged Harlequin of Hate, but overall gave the movie a 69% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Giggle on over to the JoBlo review HERE.

Lumbering down to second place was the PG-rated animated Yeti movie ABOMINABLE with $12 million, dropping by 42% from its opening last weekend. The $75 million DreamWorks feature has a ten-day domestic total of $37.8 million and a worldwide total of $76.3 million.

In third place was DOWNTON ABBEY with $8 million over its third weekend, which brings the continuation of the popular British period show to a domestic total of $73.6 million and $135.4 million worldwide on a reported $20 million cost.

The R-rated Jennifer Lopez/Constance Wu comedy-drama HUSTLERS was on the pole in fourth place with $6.3 million as the $20 million crime tale has gyrated to $91.3 million domestic and $110 million worldwide after four weekends.

Joker was joined by more R-rated killer-clown activity in fifth place as IT: CHAPTER TWO grabbed $5.3 million, pushing it over the $200 million domestic mark on its fifth weekend in theaters. The horror sequel adapted from Stephen King's frightful tome has a worldwide total of $436.7 million, on a reported cost of $70 million.

In sixth place was the Brad Pitt astronaut thriller AD ASTRA with $4.5 million. After three weeks, the PG-13 space drama from director James Gray has a domestic total of $43.6 million and $111.3 million worldwide on a reported cost of $80 million.

Holding on to seventh place was the PG-13 drama JUDY with $4.4 million as it added nearly 1000 screens. The Judy Garland biopic with Renee Zellweger as the actor-singer in her career twilight has a domestic total of $8.9 million.

The R-rated action sequel RAMBO: LAST BLOOD was in eighth place with $3.5 million. Sylvester Stallone's fifth time as the former Green Beret has a $39.8 million domestic total and $64.3 million worldwide, on a reported cost of $50 million.

In ninth place was the new Bollywood action-thriller WAR with $1.5 million for the weekend, and $2 million total since it opened Wednesday on just 305 screens.

Closing out the list was R-rated comedy GOOD BOYS with just under $1 million. The Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg-produced movie has an $82 million domestic total and $107.5 million worldwide, on a reported $20 million cost.

Outside the chart, Disney's remake of THE LION KING finally wandered into the sunset after three months, and the Gerard Butler sequel ANGEL HAS FALLEN fell out of sight.

In limited release, the Natalie Portman sci-fi drama LUCY IN THE SKY crashed and burned with only $55k total on 37 screens. Critics were equally unkind with a 27% average on Rotten Tomatoes (the JoBlo review is HERE).

Next weekend has Will Smith facing Will Smith in director Ang Lee's sci-fi action movie GEMINI MAN, while Gomez and Morticia and their altogether ooky clan get animated in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, Adam Devine falls in love with his phone in the comedy JEXI, and filmmaker Bong Joon ho's acclaimed drama PARASITE opens in limited release.

Who is your favorite Joker? VOTE HERE!