Terrifier 3 slashed its way to No. 1 in North America, collecting a stellar $18.3 million from 2,514 theaters in its opening weekend. It’s a huge start for the ultra-gory, independently made, low-budget slasher film about a demonic clown who brutalizes a small town. (Variety)

The next closest film is The Wild Robot, which continues to shine for DreamWorks Animation and Universal. Now in its third weekend, the family pic is on course to earn another $13.4 million from 3,854 cinemas for a domestic total of $83.7 million. It also pulled in another $24 million overseas for a global haul of $148.5 million. (THR)

Joker: Folie à Deux, Todd Phillips’ $190 million sequel to Joker, the first R-rated film to gross $1 billion worldwide, has fallen 81% from its $37.8 million opening weekend to just $7 million. According to data from Box Office Mojo and exhibitor sources, that will be the worst second-weekend percentage drop for any wide release with an opening weekend of $30 million or more if it stands after Monday actuals are reported. (TheWrap)

Exhibitors scream that they need more product, and indeed, they got it this weekend with a slew of prestige awards season contender wide entries, but they didn’t find sizable audiences: Sony’s Saturday Night ($3.4 million), Focus Features’ Piece by Piece ($3.8 million), and Briarcliff Entertainment’s The Apprentice ($1.58 million). (Deadline)