"The 'Joker' sequel underperforms financially at cinemas" or "The second installment of 'Joker' fails to draw big crowds at movie theaters"
Director Todd Phillips is probably as glad as the Joker's persona at the beginning of "Joker: Folie à Deux" movie's release. The anticipated "Joker" sequel made its debut in the US with an estimated earning of roughly $40 million, falling significantly short of predictions, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Professionals had anticipated that "Joker: Folie à Deux," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, would rake in at least $50 to $60 million in its initial days. However, these estimates were reportedly revised downward throughout the opening weekend as interest waned, ultimately settling at $47 million – a figure the film failed to attain. The Hollywood Reporter attributed the film's underperformance to negative word of mouth.
The sequel also lags significantly behind this year's other box office hits. For instance, "Inside Out 2" earned approximately $154 million in its opening weekend, while "Deadpool & Wolverine" grossed nearly $211 million. With a production budget of around $200 million, "Joker: Folie à Deux" was more than three times as expensive to produce as its highly praised predecessor.
Daring genre experiment?
Critics, both domestic and international, have criticized "Joker: Folie à Deux." The film's audience also appears to be disappointed, as indicated by various online review sites. Currently, only 33% of critics' reviews and 31% of audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are positive.
While Joaquin Phoenix's performance has once again garnered no criticism, and Lady Gaga's interpretation of Harley Quinn has also impressed critics, many have criticized Phillips' decision to make the film a musical. As ntv.de noted, this artistic focus tends to detract from the dark, destructive story's narrative power. Audiences who may have been eager for a continuation of the first film's psychological thriller theme might be disappointed.
"Joker 2" performed better overseas, earning $81.1 million so far. While it met worldwide expectations of $121.1 million, the film started poorly in Germany, with 351,000 admissions and €4.2 million in box office earnings, according to Blickpunkt: Film's German cinema charts.
Francis Ford Coppola's endorsement
However, the "Joker" director has received support from an unexpected source: Francis Ford Coppola, whose self-financed, $120 million epic "Megalopolis" is currently facing box office struggles. On his official Instagram page, the 85-year-old wrote: "I've always been a fan of Todd Phillips' films, and I find them thoroughly entertaining. Ever since the fantastic 'The Hangover,' he's consistently outpaced audience expectations. My congratulations for 'Joker: Folie à Deux!'"
Despite Francis Ford Coppola's endorsement, the negative reviews and diminished audience interest have significantly affected the box office performance of 'Joker: Folie à Deux'. The entertainment value of the anticipated sequel, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, has not been enough to surpass the predictions, falling short with an estimated earning of $40 million.
The disappointment surrounding the musical genre experiment in 'Joker: Folie à Deux' is evident, as it lags behind other box office hits such as "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine", and even falls short of its highly praised predecessor in terms of production cost.
