NEW YORK — Put on a happy face. “Joker” is No. 1 again.
Todd Phillip’s R-rated comic-book hit regained the top spot at the weekend box office in its fourth week of release, narrowly besting “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” The Warner Bros.’ sensation, starring Joaquin Phoenix, took in $18.9 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That came in just above the $18.6 million haul for the Walt Disney Co.’s “Maleficent” sequel, which slid to second after a disappointing No. 1 debut last weekend of $36 million. “Mistress of Evil,” starring Angelina Jolie, is performing better overseas, where it grossed $64.3 million over the weekend.
With such a close race at the top between “Joker” and “Mistress of Evil,” the order could switch when final figures are released Monday.
But ticket sales have continued to surge well past expectations for “Joker.” With a modest budget of $60 million, it’s been extraordinarily profitable for Warner Bros. — although the studio, to mitigate risk, shared costs with Bron Studios and Village Roadshow Pictures.
This week, “Joker” became the most successful R-rated movie ever, not accounting for inflation, in worldwide release. It’s made $849 million globally, including $47.8 million internationally over the weekend. (Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” remains the R-rated domestic leader, with $370.8 million.)
Despite mixed reviews, “Joker” — a “Taxi Driver”-styled spin on a comic-book origin story — has already amassed a box-office total exceeding that of more mainstream superhero movies such as “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Wonder Woman.”
No new releases mustered any competition with the holdovers. The best-performing newcomer was the STX Entertainment horror thriller “Countdown.” It grossed $9 million. Sony Screen Gems’ “Black and Blue,” a police thriller starring Naomie Harris, opened with $8.3 million.
Holding especially well was “The Addams Family,” United Artists and MGM’s Halloween-timed animated reboot of the macabre family. It slid just 28% in its second weekend with $11.7 million, good for third place
Much of the weekend’s action was in limited or expanding releases for acclaimed Oscar contenders.
Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse,” a black-and-white psychological drama starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as 19th century lighthouse keepers, made $3 million on just 586 screens for A24.
Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit,” about a 10-year-old boy growing up in Nazi Germany, expanded into 55
Less successful was the Bruce Springsteen concert film “Western Stars” ($560,000 in 537
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s “The Current War” also finally landed in
“Terminator: Dark Fate,” which is expected to lead the box office next weekend, got off to a $12.8 million start in a handful of international markets before its stateside debut.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian
1. “Joker,” $18.9 million ($47.8 million international).
2. “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” $18.6 million ($64.3 million international).
3. “The Addams Family,” $11.7 million.
4. “Zombieland: Double Tap,” $11.6 million.
5. “Countdown,” $9 million.
6. “Black and Blue,” $8.3 million.
7. “Gemini Man,” $4 million.
8. “The Lighthouse,” $3.1 million.
9. “The Current War,” $2.7 million.
10. “Abominable,” $2 million.
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Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
