Even Gotham’s Prince of Crime couldn’t have seen this coming! Joker: Folie à Deux has stumbled spectacularly at the box office, leaving Warner Bros. executives scratching their heads and probably wishing for a do-over button.
The sequel to 2019’s smash hit Joker opened to a dismal $37.8 million domestically last weekend, which is less than half of its predecessor’s $96.2 million debut. Why, though?
Well, director Todd Phillips took a bold swing with Joker: Folie à Deux, turning what was expected to be a gritty crime drama into… a musical. This creative choice left many fans unamused, leading to poor reception and negative word-of-mouth marketing.
In fact, a rare moment of harmony occurred as both critics and audiences seemed to agree that this sequel hit all the wrong notes. Check out the most recent scores below:
- Rotten Tomatoes: 33%
- CinemaScore: D (the lowest ever for a comic book movie)
- Roger Ebert: 1/4
- IMDb: 5.3/10
With a reported budget of $200 million (more than double the original), industry analysts suggest Joker: Folie à Deux needs to reach $450 million globally just to break even. At this rate, that goal seems impossible to achieve.
So, what exactly went wrong for Todd Phillips this time around? First off, 2019’s Joker was a unique phenomenon that perfectly blended comic book lore with serious drama. Trying to replicate that success was always going to be a tall order, regardless of the star power involved.
Second and most obvious, the unexpected shift to a musical format seems to have alienated fans of the original’s darker tone. Musicals are an entirely different genre, and asking comic fans to watch a two-hour musical that features the Joker and Harley Quinn was too bold of Phillips.
The poor reviews out of the Venice Film Festival also didn’t help, as right out of the gate, they set the tone for a rough reception. Of course, Warner Bros. was partially to blame for this since the studio didn’t conduct test screenings, which could have given them a chance to gauge (and potentially) address audience concerns.
It might be too early to write off Joker 2 completely, but its opening weekend paints a grim picture for its subsequent showings. The superhero film might find some redemption in international markets, but for now, it seems the joke’s on Warner Bros.
As for Todd Phillips, he’s made it clear he’s not interested in a third Joker film. Given the reception of this sequel, that might be for the best. Maybe Matt Reeves might find more luck with Barry Keoghan’s Joker in The Batman sequel.
