Forbes: Joker Becomes The Most Profitable Comic Book Movie Ever

Saucycarpdog · Nov 9, 2019

Box Office: ‘Joker’ Becomes The Most Profitable Comic Book Movie Ever

The most profitable comic book movies are Venom ($854 million on a $90 million budget), Batman ($411 million/$35 million), Deadpool ($783 million/$58 million), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ($200 million/$13.5 million), The Mask ($351 million/$23 million) and now Joker ($956 million/$62.5 million).

www.forbes.com

With $304.2 million in North America after five weeks in theaters, Joker’s new global cume is around $953 million. Presuming its 32% domestic/68% overseas split holds, then it will have a new global cume of around $957 million by tonight. That will be 15.3x its $62.5 million production budget, which will make the Todd Phillips-directed and Joaquin Phoenix-starring drama more profitable, in terms of budget versus global gross, than Jim Carrey’s The Mask ($351 million on a $23 million budget in 1994).

That means DC Films and Warner Bros.’ Joker is the most profitable comic book movie of all time. In a skewed way, Joker represents every studio’s dream, in that it’s a mid-budget, 2-D title that’s pulling top-tier blockbuster business without relying on China. That it happens to be an R-rated psychological drama is a bonus of sorts, as it’s the third-cheapest $900 million grosser of all time after Bohemian Rhapsody ($905 million on a $52 million budget) and The Lion King ($968 million on a $55 million budget in 1994). When it tops $1 billion worldwide in the next week or so, it’ll be the cheapest movie to do so, with a budget just under the $63 million spent by Jurassic Park back in 1993.

Dance in my bathroom if old.

subpar spatula · Nov 9, 2019

Joker is the GOAT. Gonna even nab another best actor award too.

PogChamp · Nov 9, 2019

That's incredible, I had no idea it was only $60 million budget. Well spent

Imperial Bishop · Nov 9, 2019

I thought it was $50 million.

jack_package_200 · Nov 9, 2019

subpar spatula said:
Joker is the GOAT. Gonna even nab another best actor award too.

Adam Driver in Marriage Story says hi

Z-Beat · Nov 9, 2019

Venom made that much money?

nando · Nov 9, 2019

Wow

What more is there to be said

subpar spatula · Nov 9, 2019

jack_package_200 said:
Adam Driver in Marriage Story says hi

Good luck, Adam. No one is betting on you.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

You know its not the most profitable comic book movie...right?

Scott Mendleson is not a useful source of boxoffice info. He is a living clickbait farm. Makes stuff up for clicks (like this).

Prine · Nov 9, 2019

Happy for WB, real excited for Batman once again.

Nothing will top Nolan, but it feels like they're going to go back in that direction, thank god.

subpar spatula · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
You know its not the most profitable comic book movie...right?

Scott Mendleson is not a useful source of boxoffice info. He is a living clickbait farm. Makes stuff up for clicks (like this).

so what is?

Ether_Snake · Nov 9, 2019

I’ll keep saying it if they want to pull it off again they need to make an Harley Quinn movie and have her be an intern psychiatrist at Arkham.

Good Kid mAAd Poster · Nov 9, 2019

All of the critical hot takes on here about the Joker movie from people that haven't even watched the movie are hilarious in hindsight.

WhoTurgled · Nov 9, 2019

I still gotta see it, I love a good meme

Razorrin · Nov 9, 2019

I hope this serves as a jumping point for studios to take risks on lower budget movies from now on.

The film industry is gonna to have, and currently kinda does have, a huge issue with oversaturation, but the amount of quality, thoughtful films that will come out of a resurgence in lower budgeted affairs will be great to behold.

Like, Joker got a lot of prestige being based on one of the most popular characters in media, but in action it’s practically an art house film about mental Illness. It’s not perfect, but I hope it can serve as the “missing link” between profitable made-for-mass-appeal movies and profitable risk taking art films.

Nothing wrong with many mass appeal films, I just want more experimental stuff in the limelight.

TheSkullPrince · Nov 9, 2019

Kaswa101 · Nov 9, 2019

I'm assuming this is in reference to the film's return on investment?

Well deserved either way. Loved the film!

Mariolee · Nov 9, 2019

Good Kid mAAd Poster said:
All of the critical hot takes on here about the Joker movie from people that haven't even watched the movie are hilarious in hindsight.

Which is why people who shit on a movie based on leaks will always look like clowns

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

subpar spatula said:
so what is?

Endgame is one for example that was far more profitable.

Scott Mendleson isn't a source of anything.

Bisha Monkey · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
You know its not the most profitable comic book movie...right?

Scott Mendleson is not a useful source of boxoffice info. He is a living clickbait farm. Makes stuff up for clicks (like this).

So you are a more reliable source? Ok...

Drewton · Nov 9, 2019

edit: nevermind

TheIlliterati · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
Endgame is one for example that was far more profitable.

Scott Mendleson isn't a source of anything.

This is about budget versus return, not box-office.

Rosé Fighter · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
Endgame is one for example that was far more profitable.

Scott Mendleson isn't a source of anything.

didn't end game cost like 356(per google) million to film

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

Bisha Monkey said:
So you are a more reliable source? Ok...

Endgame was more profitable, Mendleson's math doesn't really add up at all.

dietpepsi · Nov 9, 2019

TheSkullPrince said:

Too early to call this iconic? No, Im calling it iconic. I am seeing it tonight.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

TheIlliterati said:
This is about budget versus return, not box-office.

That is not what profit means though, Mendleson just used it because its a better buzzword for his clickbait.

Lothars · Nov 9, 2019

It was okay, jaquin did a great job but the movie was underwhelming and I really don't get the praise

TheIlliterati · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
That is not what profit means though, Mendleson just used it because its a better buzzword for his clickbait.

"a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something. "

Scarlet Spider · Nov 9, 2019

Well deserved. Despite so many outlets coming off as hoping for something negative action to come from this movie, nothing happened. People went and saw a comic book movie and that was that.

adj_noun · Nov 9, 2019

Lothars said:
It was okay, jaquin did a great job but the movie was underwhelming and I really don't get the praise

Ok Batman

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

TheIlliterati said:
"a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something. "

Exactly. And by that defintion Joker is not the most profitable comic book movie.

Profit and ROI are not the same thing.

Doukou · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
Endgame was more profitable, Mendleson's math doesn't really add up at all.

He’s clearly using a multiplier system, which checks out.
If you don’t like that system that’s fine but his math is correct.

TheSkullPrince · Nov 9, 2019

dietpepsi said:
Too early to call this iconic? No, Im calling it iconic. I am seeing it tonight.

Yep it's iconic. So much so that Bronx (where the actual steps are located) residents are pissed at all the movie tourists are flocking there

https://www.indiewire.com/2019/10/joker-stairs-tourist-attraction-desus-mero-outraged-1202184129/

Hope you enjoy the movie.

excelsiorlef · Nov 9, 2019

TheIlliterati said:
"a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something. "

Right hence Joker isn't the most profitable.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

Doukou said:
He’s clearly using a multiplier system, which checks out.
If you don’t like that system that’s fine but his math is correct.

No, it doesn't. His math is wrong for determining profitability.

excelsiorlef said:
Right hence Joker isn't the most profitable.

Yep.

prophetvx · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
That is not what profit means though, Mendleson just used it because its a better buzzword for his clickbait.

That's exactly what profit means.

jack_package_200 · Nov 9, 2019

Lothars said:
It was okay, jaquin did a great job but the movie was underwhelming and I really don't get the praise

Movie is so incredibly vague with its messaging and purpose that people are projecting what ever they want onto it.

The only time the movie has any consistent thesis is when Fleck makes an offensive joke and an actual pearl clutching woman say thats offensive which he responds COMEDY IS SUBJECTIVE.

We get it Todd, feminist leftist sjws murdered comedy and guillotined all comedians.

You can like and love the movie but you can't deny the director is a complete jackass.

excelsiorlef · Nov 9, 2019

Doukou said:
He’s clearly using a multiplier system, which checks out.
If you don’t like that system that’s fine but his math is correct.

No one denies the math.... what it isn't is actually how you determine most profitable. If I made a movie for 5 bucks and made a profit of 50k.... I'd look like an asshole to claim I made the most profitable movie of all time.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

prophetvx said:
That's exactly what profit means.

No...it doesn't. ROI and Profit are not the same thing. At all.

Bricktop · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
That is not what profit means though, Mendleson just used it because its a better buzzword for his clickbait.

Um, that's exactly what profit means. You seem confused.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

Bricktop said:
Um, that's exactly what profit means. You seem confused.

Are you serious? ROI is not how profit is determined.

Using Mendleson's math a $1 budgeted movie that made $10,000 would be the most profitable movie of all time.

Doukou · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
No, it doesn't. His math is wrong.

Yep.

How is his math wrong? 15.3 times 364 million would be the number that Endgame needs to beat Joker.

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

Doukou said:
How is his math wrong? 15.3 times 364 million would be the number that Endgame needs to beat Joker.

That is not profit. That math has nothing to do with calculating profitability.

Bricktop · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
Are you serious? ROI is not how profit is determined.

Profit:
"a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something"

Bad Vibes Dio · Nov 9, 2019

Man do I hate the movie, but man do I love rejoicing in it's success.

the jokah is back baaaaaaabyyy

Atom Heart Mother · Nov 9, 2019

I thought this was suppose to lead to more shootings and violence

Cheebo · Nov 9, 2019

Bricktop said:
Profit:
"a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something"

Exactly. That is the point. That is *NOT* what Mendleson's math is calculating.

Using "Amount Earned - Amount Spent" does not result in Joker being the most profitable.

Mariolee · Nov 9, 2019

Profit margin vs. return on investment (ROI)

The difference between profit margin vs return on investment

help.informed.co

Profit Margin

Profit margin is calculated as:
Profit / Revenue

Expenses include your item's purchase costs and any fees (including FBA fees) assessed by the marketplace the item is sold on.

If you bought an item for $20, sold it for $100, and Amazon took a cut of 15% ($15), you would have a profit of $65 and a profit margin of 65%:

Profit is your Revenue ($100) - Cost ($20) - Fees ($15)

Profit Margin:
Profit ($65) / Revenue ($100) = 65%

ROI

ROI is calculated as:
Profit / Cost

Using the same example above of a $20 item sold for $100 with a 15% category fee, you would have profit of $65 and a Return on Investment of 325%

Profit is your Revenue ($100) - Cost ($20) - Fees ($15)

ROI:
Profit ($65) / Cost ($20) = 325%

Comparing the two

One of the major differences between profit margin and ROI is that profit margin can never exceed 100%, while ROI can. There are pluses and minuses to each way of calculating profit, but one is not inherently better than the other.

FTF · Nov 9, 2019

Cheebo said:
Endgame was more profitable, Mendleson's math doesn't really add up at all.

Yeah profit = $ so Endgame wins with $2b in profit. He’s using profitable as best budget to gross ratio and that’s not correct. It’s like saying The Blair Witch Project is the most profitable movie of all time. That’s not accurate, but it does have the best budget to gross ratio of all time.

excelsiorlef · Nov 9, 2019

Doukou said:
How is his math wrong? 15.3 times 364 million would be the number that Endgame needs to beat Joker.

Because that's not what profit is