Joker is a serious hit. The R-rated villain origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix has remained at the top of the box office for the second weekend running. Joker beat out newcomers The Addams Family and Gemini Man, the action film starring bankable star Will Smith. Despite the tumultuous lead-up to its release—including concerns over theater safety due to the film’s violent themes, and unfavorable reviews from critics—Joker has performed better than many other films in the superhero universe. Joker saw only a 43 percent dip from its its record-breaking first weekend to the second weekend. Even top-grossing superhero installments typically have a 50 percent dip or higher between their first two opening weekends. According to Warner Bros., Joker is expected to take in $55 million this weekend, bringing its domestic ticket sales total to $192.7 million.
Read it at Associated Press
