Joker may beat Deadpool to be the highest-grossing R-rated movie at the box office – if it gets shown in China

Joker is on its way to dethroning Deadpool as the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time (before inflation), and it hasn't even been released in China yet.

The Warner Bros and DC Comics-origin film about Batman’s famous foe has grossed US$737 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Deadpool earned US$783 million worldwide in 2016, which analysts believe Joker will easily pass when all is said and done.

“Pre-release tracking for Joker was tough since there weren't comparable titles that fit particularly well,” Daniel Loria, the Boxoffice Pro editorial director, told Business Insider. “I’m currently looking at Venom, which made US$856 million worldwide, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which made US$873 million worldwide, as benchmarks for comparison. It wouldn't surprise me if it ends up around that range, even without China.”

Joker has not been approved for release in China (neither was Deadpool). A Warner Bros representative did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider on a potential China release.

But if Joker were to be miraculously released in China, there is precedent for its success. Another R-rated comic-book film, Logan, grossed US$106 million in the region (and US$619 million worldwide).

“Joker, over the course of just three weekends, has become the most talked about film of the year, weathered the early storm of security concerns, and turned the frown of controversy upside down to make it a selling point rather than a problem,” Paul Dergarabedian, the Comscore senior media analyst, said.

Dergarabedian also projected Joker will make more than US$850 million worldwide by the end of its theatrical run. Jeff Bock, the Exhibitor Relations senior box-office analyst, told Business Insider that US$900 million is likely.