Joker surprises film bosses with record success at box office

Joker has shocked its own distributors and surged into the box office record books.

The dark psychological take on the DC Comics character, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, has proved an immediate hit.

The star is already Oscar-tipped for his performance, and the film has smashed October records with its performance at the box office.

Joker has set new records for the autumn month after a blockbusting opening weekend, earning £114 million internationally.

Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros president of domestic distribution, told AP: “This was a much larger result at the box office than we had ever anticipated globally.

“Putting records aside, we’re just thrilled that audiences are embracing the movie as strong as they are.”

In North America alone, the film brought in £75 million, amid fears for safety due to fringe calls for violence at screenings.

Accordint to AP, the earnings for Joker have made it the new record-holder for an October opening.

The film had a relatively modest budget of £50 million.