‘Joker’ dominates box office for second weekend
The Batman spinoff nemesis film “Joker” dominated the movie box office for the second weekend in a row since its release on October 4. In the U.S. alone, “Joker” grossed another $17 million on its second Friday box office. The mega- villain flick “could score another $60 million come Sunday … and could push the movie past the $185 million mark by the end of the weekend,” according to CNN.
“Joker” stars Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix in the title role, alongside Oscar winner Robert De Niro, and is directed, produced and co-written by Oscar nominee Todd Phillips.
“Joker” also had no problem conquering this weekend’s box office newcomers MGM and United Artists Releasing’s “The Addams Family” and Paramount’s “Gemini Man.” Likely fueled by family audiences looking for a more family-friendly alternative, “The Addams Family” came in at No. 2 with $9.7 million from 4007 locations. ~ Variety
The movie centers around the iconic Batman arch enemy and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck as a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.
“Joker” made its debut in August at the Venice Film Festival and was immediately followed by a dark cloud of controversy suggesting that the film would be encouraging violent behavior by the masses, similar to what happened in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, when a lone shooter killed 12 and injured 70 during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” The Joker film will not be playing at that theater in Aurora.
Todd Phillips’ dark take on the Batman villain will not play at the theater where a massacre took place during a 2012 screening of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ as family members of those killed ask the studio to donate to gun-victim charities.
Family members of those killed in the July 20, 2012, mass shooting at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, have signed a letter to Warner Bros. sharing concerns about the upcoming Joker film and asking the studio to donate to groups that aid victims of gun violence. ~ Hollywood Reporter
On September 24, leading up to the October 4 U.S. opening of the controversial film, Warner Bros. released a statement regarding “Joker.”
“Gun violence in our society is a critical issue, and we extend our deepest sympathy to all victims and families impacted by these tragedies. Our company has a long history of donating to victims of violence, including Aurora, and in recent weeks, our parent company joined other business leaders to call on policymakers to enact bi-partisan legislation to address this epidemic.“
“At the same time, Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues. Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor the film, is an endorsement of real-world violence of any kind. It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero.”
For more on “Joker” dominating the box office, see the video accompanying this article.
~ Written by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
