From what was originally deemed a risky proposition to a billion-dollar success story, Joker‘s rise to the top of the box office has been remarkable. Many were skeptical at the prospect of giving the Clown Prince of Crime a gritty and R-rated origin story, but Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix have proven the doubters wrong in spectacular fashion.
Joker has created controversy, earned wildly enthusiastic reviews and is now being positioned for a huge awards season push, but the most impressive milestone the movie passed was arguably crossing the billion-dollar mark. Not only is it the highest-grossing R-rated pic ever made and the most profitable comic book film in history, but following this weekend Joker has officially earned more money at the box office than The Dark Knight.
Adding more to its mammoth total over the last three days, Joker now sits at a global total of $1.017 billion, taking it past the $1.004 billion earned by Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman sequel. The Dark Knight is often regarded as the greatest comic book movie ever made, and Heath Ledger’s performance as the Caped Crusader’s arch-nemesis is nothing short of iconic, but Joaquin Phoenix is now sitting at the top of the pile as the Joker to appear in the highest-grossing movie. No doubt Jared Leto is fuming over this.
Arthur Fleck’s origin story also now stands as the third most lucrative project ever to be based on a DC Comics character, sitting behind The Dark Knight Rises‘ $1.084 billion and Aquaman’s $1.148 billion. The top spot will likely be unobtainable given how long Joker has been in theaters, but it would be fitting for the Clown Prince of Crime to get one over on his oldest enemy by out-earning every single Batman movie.