Highest Grossing R-Rated Movies | PINKVILLA

Essentials



  • Joker is the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, grossing over $1 billion

  • Deadpool And Wolverine Looks Set To Be The Highest Grossing R-Rated Movie

R-rated movies are movies that are safe for anyone to watch. Any person under the age of 17 must have a parent or guardian accompanying them. The movies contain adult material, so parents and guardians must be absolutely certain whether or not they are willing to take their child under the age of 17.

At the box office, R-rated films generally don’t achieve ratings like PG-13, PG, or G, since a significant portion of the public isn’t allowed to see them in theaters. Let’s take a look at the highest grossing R-rated films at the global box office to date, ahead of the release of the most anticipated R-rated film, Deadpool and Wolverine.

7 Highest-Grossing R-Rated Movies at the Worldwide Box Office

1. Joker

Joker, directed by Todd Phillips (also the director of the Hangover trilogy), is the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, and the only R-rated film to gross a billion dollars worldwide. DC financed Joker, a film focusing on the antagonist Batman, with the idea that it would be an interesting spin-off for audiences to watch. Not only did it become an interesting film to watch, but it also caused a box office frenzy never before seen for an R-rated film. Joker became the fourth DC film to gross a billion dollars at the box office, following The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and Aquaman.

Joker is the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, largely due to the controlled budget it was made on. The second installment of Joker, titled Joker: Folie à Deux, is scheduled for release in October 2024 and is expected to gross over $1 billion. It wouldn’t be a surprise if it surpasses Joker and Deadpool And Wolverine (if it claims the top spot) to become the highest-grossing film with a limited audience.

2. Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer is one of the most insane box office performers. The Christopher Nolan director starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh clashed with Barbie and still managed to take in nearly a billion dollars worldwide. Based on the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film started off with a bang.

In India, Oppenheimer became the highest-grossing Hollywood film of the year it was released, i.e. 2023, ahead of big IPs like Fast X and Mission Impossible 7. The film opened to staggering occupancy rates in its first weekend. Oppenheimer is one of Nolan’s fastest-made films. He reportedly completed the film in less than 3 months.

3. Deadpool2

Deadpool 2 is currently the highest grossing Deadpool film, but it will soon be surpassed by Deadpool And Wolverine as the highest grossing film for both superheroes. It is also expected to become the highest grossing R-rated film, surpassing Joker. Deadpool 2, a sequel to the surprise blockbuster Deadpool, managed to live up to expectations, grossing approximately $785 million worldwide at the box office.

While not much better than the original Deadpool, Deadpool 2’s box office reception was very positive. It helped solidify Deadpool as an IP that audiences would want to see in theaters. Deadpool And Wolverine is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024.

4. Deadpool

Deadpool was a surprise box office hit. The film grossed approximately $782 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing R-rated film until it was surpassed by the sequel Deadpool 2.

Deadpool established Ryan Reynolds as a major box office force who can carry a major film on his capable shoulders. The actor has been fairly consistent in delivering films that have been appreciated by the majority of audiences.

5. The Matrix Reloaded

The Matrix Reloaded is the oldest R-rated film on the list of highest-grossing R-rated films of all time. Starring Keanu Reeves, the Matrix sequel blew everyone away with the kind of box office it managed to pull off at the time. The film grossed a measly $750 million, and that was back in 2003. Adjusted for inflation, The Matrix Reloaded could make around $1.5 billion.

The Matrix franchise has not reached its peak since then. The Matrix Revolutions came out less than six months after The Matrix Reloaded and grossed just over $400 million. The Matrix Resurrections was a box office flop, falling short of its budget.

6. THE

IT is, besides being the 6th highest grossing R-rated film, also the highest grossing horror film. The horror film managed to bring in 700 million dollars worldwide at the box office against a budget of about 40 million dollars.

IT was followed by IT Chapter 2, which, although a huge box office success, failed to match the euphoria of IT.

7. Detective Chinatown 3

Detective Chinatown 3 is the only Chinese film to make the list of highest-grossing R-rated films. The film set the record for the biggest opening weekend ever for a film in a single territory. It remains the highest-grossing R-rated film in a single territory.

Detective Chinatown 3 registered insane advance bookings of over $100 million for its opening day. It took in $163 million on its opening day in China and it is a record that still stands. The film showed the potential that the Chinese market has, especially during the Chinese New Year weekend.

Below is a list of the highest-grossing R-rated films, based on worldwide gross:

Rank Movie Theatre box office
1 joker $1.078 billion
2 Oppenheimer $976 million
3 Deadpool2 $785 million
4 Death Pole $782 million
5 The Matrix Reloaded USD 742 million
6 IT 700 million dollars
7 Detective Chinatown 3 $686 million

Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our own research. The figures may be approximate and Pinkvilla makes no claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are sufficiently indicative of the box office performance of the films in question.

Conclusion:

R-rated moviegoers are a rabid niche. Regardless of how much R-rated movies ultimately earn, they are known to draw large audiences for opening day, weekend, and weekday.

Deadpool And Wolverine is all set to grab the biggest opening night of the summer. The worldwide projections for the film are $400 million for its first weekend, which would be absolutely mind-boggling. Joker: Folie à Deux also has a very high expectation. Overall, there is a lot to look forward to, if you are someone who enjoys watching R-rated movies.

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