7 Highest Grossing R-Rated Movies: Joker tops

As one of the most awaited R-rated movies, Deadpool And Wolverine, is set to release, here's having a look at the highest grossing R-rated movies.

Updated on Jul 20, 2024  |  07:15 PM IST |  42.5K
Cillian Murphy, Joaquin Phoenix, Ryan Reynolds
Joker is the only R-rated movie to gross over a billion dollars (Credit: Warner Bros, Marvel Entertainment)
Key Highlight
  • Joker is the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time, with gross total of over 1 billion dollars
  • Deadpool And Wolverine looks to become the highest grossing R-rated movie

 

R-rated movies are the movies that are restricted to be watched by all. An individual under the age of 17 needs to have a parent or guardian accompanying him/her. The films contain adult material so parents and guardians have to be absolutely sure about whether they are willing to bring their under-17 along or not. 

At the box office, R-rated films generally fail to match the numbers of say a PG-13, PG or G certification because a significant chunk of the audience is not permitted to watch them in theatre halls. Let's have a look at the Highest Grossing R-rated Movies at the worldwide box office so far, ahead of the release of the most awaited R-rated movie, Deadpool and Wolverine

7 Highest Grossing R-Rated Movies At The Worldwide Box Office

 

Joker

1. Joker

Joker directed by Todd Phillips (also the director of the Hangover trilogy) is the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time and the only R-rated movie to crack a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. DC bankrolled Joker, a film focusing on the antagonist of Batman, with the thought that it would be an interesting spinoff for the audiences to watch. It didn’t just end up being an interesting watch but became a film with box office frenzy never seen before for an R-rated flick. Joker became the fourth DC movie to gross a billion dollars at the box office after The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Aquaman.

Advertisement

Joker is the most profitable R-rated film of all time, primarily due to the controlled budget that it was made at. The second part of Joker titled Joker: Folie à Deux is set to release in October 2024 and the expectations from the film are to gross over a billion dollars. It won’t be a surprise if it trumps Joker and Deadpool And Wolverine (if it claims the top spot), to become the highest grossing film with a restricted audience.

 

Oppenheimer

2. Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer is one of the craziest box office performers. The Christopher Nolan directorial starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh clashed with Barbie and still managed to almost clock a billion dollars worldwide. Based on the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the movie took a thunderous start.

In India, Oppenheimer became the highest grossing Hollywood movie for the year it was released in, that is 2023, ahead of big IPs like Fast X and Mission Impossible 7. It played at staggering occupancies for the first weekend. Oppenheimer is one of Nolan’s quickest films to be made. He reportedly wrapped the movie in under 3 months.

Advertisement

 

Deadpool 2

3. Deadpool 2

Deadpool 2 is the highest grossing Deadpool film currently but it will soon be surpassed by Deadpool And Wolverine as the highest grossing film for both the superheroes. Not only that, it is also expected to become the highest grossing R-rated flick, surpassing Joker. Deadpool 2, a sequel to the surprise blockbuster Deadpool, managed to live up to the expectations as it grossed around 785 million dollars at the worldwide box office.

Though not much higher than the original Deadpool, Deadpool 2’s box office reception was seen very positively. It helped steady Deadpool as an IP whose movies audiences would love watching in theatres. Deadpool And Wolverine releases in theatres on 26th July, 2024.

 

Deadpool

4. Deadpool

Deadpool was a surprise blockbuster. It grossed around 782 million dollars worldwide and became the highest grossing R-rated movie, then, until it was surpassed by its sequel Deadpool 2. 

Deadpool established Ryan Reynolds as a significant box office force who can carry a big film on his able shoulders. The actor has been quite consistent in delivering films liked by the majority of the audience.

Advertisement

 

The Matrix Reloaded

5. The Matrix Reloaded

The Matrix Reloaded is the oldest R-rated movie in the list of highest grossing R-rated movies of all time. Starring Keanu Reeves, The Matrix sequel really blew everyone’s mind off with the kind of box office it managed back in the days. The movie grossed a shy under 750 million dollars and that’s in 2003. Adjusted for inflation, The Matrix Reloaded may be a 1.5 billion dollar grosser or so.

The Matrix franchise since then, hasn’t peaked. The Matrix Revolutions released within six months of The Matrix Reloaded and grossed a little over 400 million dollars. The Matrix Resurrections was a box office bomb as it failed to even match its budget. 

 

IT

6. IT

IT, apart from being the 6th highest grossing R-rated movie, is also the highest grossing horror movie. The horror film managed to gross 700 million dollars at the worldwide box office and that’s against a budget of around 40 million dollars.

IT was followed by IT Chapter 2, which although was a huge box office success, could not match the euphoria of IT.

 

Detective Chinatown 3

7. Detective Chinatown 3

Detective Chinatown 3 is the only Chinese movie part of the highest grossing R-rated movies list. The film set the record for the biggest opening weekend ever for a movie in a single territory. It continues to be the highest grossing R-rated movie in a single territory. 

Advertisement

Detective Chinatown 3 registered insane advance bookings in excess of 100 million dollars for the opening day. It collected 163 million dollars on the opening day in China and it is a record that still stands. The movie showed the potential that the Chinese market has, especially in the Chinese New Year weekend.

Following is a list of Highest Grossing R-rated Movies, on the basis of worldwide gross:-

Rank Movie Box Office
1 Joker USD 1.078 billion
2 Oppenheimer USD 976 million
3 Deadpool 2 USD 785 million
4 Deadpool USD 782 million
5 The Matrix Reloaded USD 742 millon
6 IT USD 700 million
7 Detective Chinatown 3 USD 686 million

Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources as well as our own research. The figures can be approximate and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question

Conclusion:

R-rated movie watching audiences make a rabid niche. Regardless of how much R-rated films eventually earn, they are known to have the audience come out in large numbers for the opening day, weekend and week frame.

Deadpool And Wolverine is all set to take the biggest opening of the summer. The global projections for the movie are at 400 million dollars for the first weekend and that would simply be mind boggling. Joker: Folie à Deux also has very high anticipation. Overall, there’s a lot to look forward to, if you are someone who enjoys watching R-rated films.

Advertisement

Which is your favourite R-rated movie from the list of highest grossing R-rated movies?

ALSO READ: 7 Highest Grossing DC Movies: Aquaman tops

Frequently asked questions related to the highest grossing R-rated movies

Which is the highest grossing R-Rated movie?
Joker is the highest grossing R-rated movie as of now

What are the expectations from Deadpool And Wolverine?
Deadpool And Wolverine is set to take a massive start at the global box office. It is likely to become the highest grossing R-rated movie.

Which is the biggest R-rated IP?
Deadpool is unquestionably the biggest R-rated IP. Part 1 and Part 2 topped the highest grossing R-rated movies list and Deadpool And Wolverine is expected to do the same.

Pinkvilla Pulse
Subscribe to our newsletter for entertainment exclusives, star interviews, and the latest lifestyle trends. Look No Further!
Subscribe
About The Author

A journalist who is perennially hungry for entertainment. Loves tracking and analyzing box office collections of movies. Also enjoys

...

Advertisement

Latest Articles