There may be a chill in the air as we head into the fall but things are beginning to heat up at the box office as directorToddPhillips' latest,Joker, earns $40 million in its first two days.Jokercan now boast one of the best first 48 hours in theaters this year, joining the ranks of other recent, impressive debuts includingIT: Chapter Two($37M),Toy Story 4($47M), and Disney’sThe Lion Kinglive-action remake ($78M).
Jokermade a jaw-dropping amount of moneyduring Thursday previews— $13.3 million to be exact. This is one of the best Thursday previews totals we’ve seen in a while, with 2018’sVenombeing the last top dog with $10 million earned. The curiosity to seeJokerstarJoaquin Phoenixput on a happy face and make his way through Gotham as a notorious hellraiser continued into Friday, with the movie earning an additional $26.6 million.Jokercan also boast a formidable per-theater average, bringing in $9,122 per theater for the 4,374 theaters it was shown in domestically. And if you think this movie is having a humdinger of a Friday here in the U.S.,Jokerdid even better overseas. It earned $57.2 million internationally, bringing the 2-day worldwide total to $97.1 million. Back here in the U.S.,Jokeris on track to make around $90 million by the end of the weekend.
It seems we’re sending in clowns of all sorts this weekend. While Joker wreaks havoc in Gotham, audiences are still keen to see what kinds of terror Pennywise is cooking up in Derry inIT: Chapter Two. The second installment in theStephen King-adapted saga starringJames McAvoy,Jessica Chastain, andBill Haderis going strong as it heads into its fifth weekend in theaters.IT: Chapter Twooccupies the number five slot in the box office charts, earning $1.43 million domestically and bringing its to-date total up to $198 million.
In betweenJokerandIT: Chapter Twoon the charts areAbominable,Downton Abbey, andHustlers.Abominablehas the number two spot with $2.78 million earned domestically, bringing its total thus far up to $28.6 million. At number three inDownton Abbeywith Friday’s $2.4 million added to its domestic total of $68 U.S. theaters. Finally,Hustlerspulled in $2 million, making its current U.S. total $87 million.
For more onJoker,check out our review. If you’ve seen it already but are confused about that ending,here’s our explainer.
$39,900,000
Abominable
$2,780,000
$28,613,115
Downton Abbey
$2,400,000
$68,026,935
$1,940,000
$86,961,880
IT: Chapter Two
$1,430,000
$198,280,157
