Joker to overtake Deadpool as highest-grossing R-rated film at global box office

Joker is about to become the most popular R-rated film of all time.

Despite its fair share of controversy, the film – starring Joaquin Phoenix – already surpassed 2018's Venom to score the biggest October opening of all time.

Now, Todd Phillips's film is on course to earn the record of being the highest-grossing R-rated release of all time.

Joker's global box office takings currently sit at $737.5m with one film pipping it to the post: Deadpool. However, it looks like Joker is about to sail past that film's $783m over the next week.

In fact, such is the popularity of the film that Joker's box office takings are set to exceed $900m.

Phoenix recently said he would be very interested in playing Joker again, following rave reviews of his performance.

According to reports, Jared Leto – who played the DC villain in ​2016's Suicide Squad – was left “alienated and upset” when he heard about plans to make the film.

Joker is out now in cinemas.