This previous weekend saw three new films open in wide release, with one setting records in limited release. However, “Joker” still reigns supreme as the film has already earned nearly 10 times its budget worldwide in just its second week of release. The Joaquin Phoenix starring film has made over $543 million worldwide. It is almost guaranteed to pass the domestic totals of “Justice League” and “Batman Begins” this coming weekend and may even outgross “Man of Steel,” “Batman v. Superman,” “Aquaman” or “Suicide Squad” by the time it leaves theatres.
“Joker” remains atop of the domestic top 5, earning $55.8 million and dropping only 41.9% after the films massive opening. “Joker” has shown to be a box office monster so far, setting records such as the highest October opening of all time and not looking to stop. Joker looks to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all-time. Currently the Phoenix lead film sits at 19th on the list and trailing the all-time leader 2004’s “Passion Of The Christ” by $177 million.
The first of this weekend’s new releases lands in second, over performing by $7 million according to BoxOfficeMojo’s projections. “The Addams Family (2019),” the animated adaptation, earned $30.3 million. However, on the flip side, another new release “Gemini Man,” which was directed by Ang Lee and starring Will Smith, flopped, making $20.5 million on a $138 million budget in its opening weekend. Falling to fourth is “Abominable” dropping nearly 50% in the films third week of release earning $6 million. Rounding up the top five is “Downton Abbey” with $4.8 million falling just 38.9% continuing to hold well week to week.
Another film that opened this previous weekend in only three theaters was the latest by South Korean director Bong Joon-ho. “Parasite,” the recipient of this year’s Palme d’Or finally hit the domestic landscape and recorded the largest per theater totals ever for an international film. “Parasite” made $384,216 in just three theaters, averaging out to $128,072 per theater. On top of being the largest international per theater average of all-time, “Parasite” has the largest per theater average of 2019 so far. “Parasite” tops the previous high of the year, “The Farewell,” by $39,156. Another key stat would be that it has the highest per theater average since 2016’s “La La Land.” The Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone starring film went on to gross for a total of $151.1 million domestically and while “Parasite” won’t replicate those numbers, do keep an eye on the film for weeks to come to see how far word of mouth and reception can carry the foreign language film here.
In the seventh weekend of the Fall Box Office season, “It Chapter Two” remains in the top spot, earning over $207 million six weeks of release. In second, hot on Pennywise and the Losers club’s trail is the Clown Prince of Crime looking to become the highest earning clown of the year with “Joker” making $193.5 million in just two weeks. Then in third just shy of $100 million earning $98 million is Jennifer Lopez’s “Hustlers.” “Downton Abbey” continues to trail behind “Hustlers” currently having grossed $82.6 million in four weeks. “Abominable” leap frogs the duo of “Ad Astra” and “Rambo: Last Blood” to fifth place with $47.8 million over “Ad Astra” with $46.6 million and the $42.2 million for “Rambo: Last Blood.” Then two of the three new releases for the weekend open on the chart in eight and ninth being “The Addams Family (2019)” and “Gemini Man” earning $30.3 and $20.5 respectively. Then holding on by a feather is “The Goldfinch” in tenth with $5.3 million surviving another week making more than our third new film of the weekend, the R-rated comedy “Jexi,” which only earned $3.1 million in 2,332 theaters.
Two new film opens wide this upcoming weekend hoping to find their way onto the chart. Both films being sequels, with Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” and Sony’s “Zombieland 2: Double Tap”. Both films are targeting opposite demographics and are projected to possibly battle for next weekend’s top spot alongside “Joker” in the films third week of release.
Check back next week to see which film comes out on top and how “Parasite” does in the films second week after the record-breaking limited opening.
