‘Joker: Folie a Deux’ Seems To Be A Joke At The Box Office

Hollywood will take a major loss on the release of Joker: Folie a Deux after bombing at the box office. The dismal turnout of the film wasn’t expected to fare so poorly; instead, it was primed to be a big hit after the success of Joker in 2019.

The first film in the series, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, was an industry favorite as it brought in over $96 million domestically in its first two weeks. In comparison, the sequel brought in closer to $65 million in that same amount of time. But execs are scrambling now as the sequel is making headlines in all the wrong ways.

Some $150 million to $200 million will go in the wind after critics and audiences thought the film was mediocre at best. Producing the film cost Warner Brothers $200 million plus half of that amount to market and distribute. High overhead, such as the director Todd Phillips and Phoenix’s paychecks, each called for $20 million. Lady Gaga alone brought in $12 million for her efforts.

Distributing company Warner Brothers is trying to find the bright side in this film fiasco, saying in a statement, “Any estimates suggested by anonymous insiders or rival executives are growly wrong and continues a trend where rumor is reported as fact. The film continues to play in theatrical release, included with this week’s opening in China, and will continue to earn revenue through its home viewing and ancillary run.” The film will be released to streaming services on October 29.

In order to break even, they’re going to need more fans in the seats. But with the poor reviews, that’s not likely. One fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “I won’t watch Joker 2. When I found out it was a musical, far removed from the first movie, I was disappointed. Sucks too because Joaquin is an acting legend.” On Rotten Tomatoes, audiences gave the film a 32%.

With an impressive cast in the film, it still couldn’t keep Joker: Folie a Deux afloat. Phoenix is a four-time Oscar winner, including a win for his first portrayal of the villain in the original film. Lady Gaga plays opposite of Phoenix, as the equally-disturbed Harley Quinn, but even with a poor running, and one Oscar to her name, may still get the attention of the prestigious awards.