2019’sJokermay have been one of the most successfulDCmovies ever made, but I find it pretty mind-blowing that its box office surpasses one of Batman’s biggest movies. That, it should be stressed, is a pretty high bar to clear, as Batman remains one of the most bankable characters in cinema due to his wide popularity.
A new live-action rendition of Batmanwill appear ina future DCU adaptation, though for now,Batman’s cinematic legacyis tied to some fairly groundbreaking live-action movies. That is to say nothing of Batman’s career in animation, with the character being one of the most prolific in the entire DC roster.
Joker, meanwhile, has appeared in fewer productions than his traditional arch-nemesis. Nevertheless, he is arguably just as compelling, a fact that his first-ever live-action solo movie, the self-titledJoker, helped to hammer home when it was released in 2019.
Joker’s Box Office Is One Of DC’s Highest
This Is Despite Its Prohibitive R-Rating
According toThe Numbers,Jokerearned a staggering $1.07 billion worldwide. At the time, this made it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, with the fact that it was replete with adult themes and gory events doing little to stem the tide of enthusiasm it had garnered upon release.
This success helped to justify a sequel, which was eventually released in 2024 as Joker: Folie á Deux, though this failed to stick the landing half as well as its predecessor.
UntilJoker, DC movies, like most Marvel movies, were typically slapped with a PG-13 age rating designed to capitalize on the interests of a traditionally younger target audience. Nevertheless,Jokerleaned into one ofthe grittiest takes on a comic book movieyet, with Arthur Fleck embarking on a violent rampage spurred by his innate psychopathy.
The novel approach landed exceptionally well,withJokerearning widespread praisefrom audiences and benefitting from immense publicity as a result. This success helped to justify a sequel, which was eventually released in 2024 asJoker: Folie á Deux, though this failed to stick the landing half as well as its predecessor.
Joker’s Box Office Is Even Higher Than The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Was The First $1 Billion Superhero Movie
Despite earning even greater acclaim when it was released in 2008, Christopher Nolan’s seminal superhero sequel,The Dark Knight, grossed less worldwide thanJoker. Admittedly, this was by a relatively minor margin, withThe Dark Knightbanking $1.01 billion worldwide, just $60 million less thanJokerwould earn more than ten years later.
The Dark Knightbecame the first superhero movie to gross more than $1 billionat the global box office, which speaks to how impressive this feat is for both movies.The Dark Knight Rises, meanwhile, isthe highest-grossing Batman movieof all time, earning a staggering $1.08 million worldwide, leaving a much smaller gap between it andJoker.
Why Joker’s Box Office Is Higher Than The Dark Knight
Joker Was Decidedly Unique
It is impossible to ignore how uniqueJokeris as a comic book movie.The novelty of seeing a movie featuring a popular comic book character in a no-holds-barred context was intriguing, especially as the bar for the character was set so high by Heath Ledger’s frenetic take inThe Dark Knight.
Heath Ledger tragically died beforeThe Dark Knightwas released, further stoking interest in the movie.
Furthermore,for better or worse, the titular villain/antihero resonated with many audiences. Arthur Fleck’s Joker is portrayed as a maligned outcast whose villainous turn is spurred by his loneliness and society’s negative behavior towards him. Although there is an eminent danger of overlooking important details about his reactions, this is Joker at his most human.
Still,the controversy stoked by the movie and fan reactions helpedJokerto turn viralonline and via social media. This, along with other time-related factors like ticket inflation and a larger worldwide market, also factor intoJoker’s success overThe Dark Knight.
Joker
Cast
Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker is an origin story for Batman’s most iconic villain. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a down-on-his-luck clown who is trying to become a successful stand-up comedian. When things don’t go according to plan, and Arthur feels Gotham is oppressing him and others with mental illness, Arthur sparks a violent revolution within the city.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is the second installment in the Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale as Batman. Released in 2008, the film follows Batman’s alliance with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent as they combat the organized crime that threatens Gotham, facing the menacing Joker.
