It's no secret that the biggest box-office bucks lay in the realm of PG-13, but R-rated movies have certainly proved that they're no slouch, especially in recent years. JOKER hit theaters earlier this month and immediately began breaking records, and the latest record which the Todd Phillips film has broken is a big one – JOKER has now become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all-time with $788.3 million worldwide, breaking the record previously set by DEADPOOL 2.
Given the relatively low-budget of JOKER, especially considering the mega-budgets which most blockbusters are saddled with, the film is also slated to become incredibly profitable. Some reports have even claimed that JOKER will rack up close to $500 million in profit, putting it in the same neighbourhood as mega-earners such as AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. Ryan Reynolds took the occasion to make a congratulatory post on Instagram, which praised JOKER for overcoming the likes of Deadpool, Neo, Jesus, Hugh Jackman, and other R-rated characters.
JOKER director Todd Phillips also reacted to the news, thanking his cast and crew as well as fans all around the world in an Instagram post.
JOKER is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check out reviews of the film from our own Paul Shirey and Chris Bumbray as well as let us know what you thought of the film!