‘Joker 2’ Has Failed To Match Its Predecessor At The Box Office

The eagerly awaited “Joker” sequel, Folie à̀ Deux, has debuted to poor box office results, posing a difficult weekend for Warner Bros.

With only $40 million made domestically during its opening weekend, the movie fell short of the previous film’s success, despite high hopes. On the other hand, the first Joker of 2019 debuted with an incredible $96.2 million, making it a huge hit at the box office.

‘Joker 2’ – Disappointing Ratings

Both critics and audiences have been underwhelmed by the sequel, and recovery in the following weeks seems uncertain.

According to CinemaScore, which polls moviegoers, Folie à Deux earned a dismal grade of D—a notably low rating for a comic book movie. Comparatively, the original Joker scored a B+, while even Marvel’s critically panned Madame Web managed a C+ rating.

The movie’s audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a dismal 31%, a sharp drop from the 89% approval of the first Joker movie. Not only was the first movie profitable, but it also distinguished itself from DC’s usual attempts to compete with Marvel’s cohesive film world in 2019 with its distinct, stand-alone plot set outside the shared DC world.

Before Deadpool & Wolverine broke that record this year, it was the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time, with over $1 billion in global receipts.

Budgetary considerations may have also contributed to the sequel’s struggles. Folie à Deux had a significantly larger production cost than its predecessor, with a budget reported to be over $190 million compared to the $55 million for the first Joker. The film generated only $7 million during Thursday previews, down from the $13.3 million that Joker earned in 2019.

Internationally, the movie performed slightly better, grossing $81.1 million for a worldwide total of $121.1 million in its opening weekend. Still, these numbers fall short of the original’s success.

Mixed Reception And Unusual Direction

Directed once again by Todd Phillips, the sequel sees Joaquin Phoenix return as the infamous Joker.

The film follows the character’s trial for murders committed in the first movie while exploring his romantic relationship with Lady Gaga’s Lee Quinzel (a reimagined Harley Quinn).

Phillips took an unexpected creative turn by making Folie à Deux a musical, with musical numbers that frequently cover existing songs.

Both enthusiasts and detractors of this choice are split. Although the first Joker received mostly positive reviews, there have been far more unfavorable comments for Folie à Deux.

A lot of critics felt that Lady Gaga’s involvement was underutilized and that the picture recycled too much from the original when it debuted at the Venice picture Festival. The musical portions and the contentious conclusion have drawn special criticism from fans.

Considering the lukewarm reception, Folie à Deux is unlikely to replicate the awards success of its predecessor, which was nominated for 11 Oscars, including a Best Actor win for Phoenix and a win for Best Original Score.

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DC’s Ongoing Struggles

The underperformance of Folie à Deux adds to a string of financial disappointments for DC Studios. Other recent box office flops include The Flash (2023), which failed to meet expectations despite significant fanfare.

These ongoing failures led to the hiring of producers James Gunn and Peter Safran in 2022 to revitalize the DC brand, with plans to reboot Superman in 2025 as the first step in their new strategy. However, Todd Phillips has stated that he is unlikely to return to direct any future DC films.

Looking ahead, several major films are slated for release next weekend, including Cineverse Corp.’s Terrifier 3, Sony Pictures’ expansion of Saturday Night, Focus Features’ Piece by Piece, A24’s We Live in Time, and Toho International’s My Hero Academia: You’re Next.

These releases could further overshadow Folie à Deux’s box office performance in the coming weeks.

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