‘Terrifier 3’ slashes ‘Joker’ to take No. 1 at the box office, Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ fizzles

AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The choices on the movie marquee this weekend included Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, a film about Donald Trump, a “Saturday Night Live” origin story and even Pharrell Williams as a Lego. In the end, all were trounced by an ax-wielding clown. Gory, low-budget slasher “Terrifier 3” topped the weekend box office with an estimated $18.3 million. That “Terrifier 3” could leapfrog both major studios and awards hopefuls at the box office was only possible due to the disaster of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” That film fell a staggering 81% in its second weekend, bringing in just $7.1 million. The young Donald Trump film “The Apprentice” fizzled with just $1.6 million.