Opening Weekend Disappoints with $40 Million– Joker 2
“Joker 2: Folie à Deux,” the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 smash hit “Joker,” debuted at No. 1 in the box office but with significantly lower ticket sales than expected, pulling in just $40 million during its opening weekend. This figure is a far cry from the original “Joker,” which earned $96.2 million in its first weekend, setting an October record. Industry analysts had initially projected “Folie à Deux” to open in the $50 million to $65 million range, but the final numbers fell short of even those modest expectations. Earlier forecasts were as high as $70 million.
A Costly Gamble for Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. has reason to be concerned. The studio spent a substantial $200 million on the production of “Folie à Deux,” a significant increase from the original’s relatively lean budget of $65 million. According to insiders, the film will need to generate at least $450 million globally to break even. The weaker-than-expected debut, coupled with negative word-of-mouth, puts this goal at risk, potentially jeopardizing the sequel’s box office staying power.
“When you greenlight a sequel, you hope it does the business that the previous one did. This is definitely a concern. Warners wanted the sequel and probably overspent to get it to happen,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst at Exhibitor Relations.
The Challenges of Following a Box Office Smash
The original “Joker,” which was intended to be a standalone film, became a box office juggernaut, grossing $335 million domestically and $743 million internationally. The dark and gritty drama also earned Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar for Best Actor and achieved critical acclaim for its exploration of mental health and societal issues. However, replicating that success was always going to be difficult, especially for a sequel with a very different tone.
Mixed Reviews and Audience Reception
“Joker 2: Folie à Deux” debuted to mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. It holds a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a “D” CinemaScore, signaling that moviegoers were not particularly impressed with the film. The tepid reception began at the Venice Film Festival, where the original “Joker” had won the Golden Lion, but the sequel failed to generate the same level of excitement.
Critics noted the film’s shift to a musical fantasy format as a significant departure from the grounded, psychological drama that made the first film a hit. The sequel features several musical numbers, including covers of songs such as “Get Happy”, “That’s Entertainment”, and “For Once in My Life”, which may have alienated mainstream superhero fans.
“Todd Phillips wanted to do something completely different, but musical numbers in a superhero film was always going to be a tough sell to mainstream audiences,” Bock added.
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga Take the Spotlight
Directed by Todd Phillips, “Joker 2: Folie à Deux” sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as Arthur Fleck, the troubled comedian who transforms into the iconic villain Joker. This time around, Phoenix is joined by Lady Gaga, who portrays Harleen Quinzel (better known as Harley Quinn), Fleck’s co-conspirator and fellow inmate at Arkham Asylum.
The dynamic between Phoenix and Gaga was one of the most highly anticipated elements of the film, with Gaga’s performance drawing particular interest. The musical format aligns with Lady Gaga’s strengths as an artist, but it appears to have divided viewers who may have been expecting something closer in tone to the original “Joker.”
Struggles to Meet High Expectations
While Warner Bros. only had to split revenues from the original “Joker” with multiple co-financiers, including Bron Creative and Village Roadshow, the studio retained a larger stake in “Folie à Deux,” partnering with just one co-financier, Domain. This decision, intended to maximize profits, may backfire if the film struggles to meet its lofty financial goals.
Despite these early challenges, Warner Bros. will hope that international markets and continued curiosity about the Phoenix-Gaga pairing will help lift the film’s fortunes in the coming weeks. However, with dampened buzz and poor audience reception, the future of “Joker: Folie à Deux” remains uncertain.
Box Office Hopes for Recovery
The original “Joker” became one of the most successful R-rated films in history, grossing over $1 billion globally. “Folie à Deux” faces a steep climb to approach those numbers, and its future performance will depend heavily on whether international audiences can breathe new life into the box office performance.
The L.A. premiere for the film, attended by Phoenix and Gaga, brought some star power to the promotional efforts, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to sustain momentum for the film in the weeks ahead. Warner Bros. now finds itself hoping for a dramatic second-weekend recovery to avoid a box office flop.
Summary
Despite its No. 1 opening at the box office, “Joker: Folie à Deux” stumbled with just $40 million in ticket sales, far short of the original’s record-breaking debut. The film’s musical format and mixed reviews have cast doubt on its ability to replicate the success of its predecessor, especially given its $200 million budget. The performance of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, alongside the film’s experimental approach, may divide audiences further, with the film now facing an uphill battle to achieve profitability.
