Originally projected to gross around $140 million globally in its opening weekend,Joker: Folie à Deuxfell drastically short of that target thanks to terrible reviews and even worse audience reception. The big-budget follow-up to directorTodd Phillips’ blockbuster 2019 film,Joker: Folie à Deux,appears to have angered die-hard fans of DC properties with its bold deviations from the cannon but also seems to have repelled regular audiences because of its genre.Joker: Folie à Deuxis a musical, a fact that was largely underplayed in the marketing material. Several studios have used similar techniques to advertise musicals in the recent past, to decidedly disappointing results.
Joker: Folie à Deuxgrossed just $40 million domestically and another $81 million from overseas markets this weekend. This representsa $121 million global debut. By comparison, the originalJoker— also directed by Phillips and starringJoaquin Phoenixin the lead role — proved to be a sensational hit. The movie grossed over $335 million domestically and more than $1 billion worldwide in its theatrical run. It also won Phoenix a Best Actor Oscar, in addition to its surprise Golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival.
But while the first film was divisive, the sequel has been outright rejected by most audiences.Joker: Folie à Deuxcurrently holds a “rotten” 33% critic rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoesand an even worse 31% audience score. More worryingly, it became thefirst comic book movie in history to earna dreaded D CinemaScorefrom opening day crowds. By comparison, directorFrancis Ford Coppola’s divisive passion project,Megalopolis, earned a slightly superior D+.
DC’s Worries Aren’t Going to End Any Time Soon
Joker: Folie à Deuxcost quite a bit to produce, unlike the first film, which was made on a restrained reported budget of around $70 million. This time around, costs are pegged at nearly $200 million, with a significant chunk of the budget going to Phillips, Phoenix, and newcomerLady Gaga. She plays Harley Quinn in the movie, which combines not only elements of musicals but also dabbles in courtroom drama and psychological thrills.In his review, Collider’sMartin Tsaidescribed Phoenix and Gaga’s performances as “underwhelming” and the musical sequences as “an unmitigated mess.”
Phillips recentlydismissed speculation about a third installmentand declared that the story he wanted to tell with these characters is over. He famously rejected the idea of making a sequel following the first film’s success as well. Also starringBrendan Gleeson,Catherine Keener,Zazie Beetz,Steve Coogan, andHarry Lawteyas Harvey Dent,Joker: Folie à Deuxis playing in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux explores Arthur Fleck’s ongoing struggle with his dual identity as he unexpectedly discovers love and unleashes his hidden musical talent. Set against a backdrop of societal unrest, Arthur’s journey intertwines personal transformation with chaotic encounters, leading to profound shifts in his life and the world around him.
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