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Recreating unexpected successes of films likeJokercan be defined as a high-stakes gamble, especially when it comes to the box office numbers. Unfortunately, its highly anticipated sequel,Joker: Folie à Deux,appears to be struggling with a similar challenge.
Released in 2019 and starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a party clown, primarily based on the DC villain Joker, the film became a massive hit. While the film was initially conceived as a standalone project, its remarkable success prompted the creators to further explore Arthur Fleck’s narrative, introducing his love interest, Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga), while he is incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.
Despite being one of the highly anticipated films of the year, the sequel could potentially struggle to meet audience expectations. With the initial reception for the film certainly indicates that the sequel may likely not reach the same heights as its predecessor, it has sparked speculation thatJoker: Folie à Deuxcould become yet another addition to the list of ongoing DC movie failures.
And several factors at play could contribute to its perceived underperformance, explaining whyJoker 2may encounter significant challenges at the box office.
The Initial Negative Reviews ForJoker: Folie à Deux
While it may not always imply in case of how the film may perform at the box office, the initial critic’s reviews often play a very significant role in shaping a new release’s early momentum.
Jokeropened to positive reviews, earning praise for presenting a chillingly plausible origin story for one of DC’s most infamous villains. It went on to achieve a remarkable box office success and earned several acclaims, including two Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Score.
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And, while its sequel,Joker: Folie à Deux, opened to a pretty modest 61% critic score, as perForbes, its rating has since come down to an underwhelming 39% critic score onRotten Tomatoes. And the numbers do little to inspire confidence in its success.
The film has mostly garnered negative reviews, with many criticizing it as a letdown compared toJoker. AlthoughJoaquin Phoenixonce again delivers an outstanding performance, earning well-deserved praise, many critics feel thatLady Gaga’stalents were underutilized.
Additionally, critics have noted that the musical psychological thriller struggles to deliver a compelling narrative and falls short with its ambitious but uneven genre-blending. Unfortunately, as has become common with recent DC films, such negative early reviews could discourage potential viewers from seeing the movie.
High Expectations, Massive Budget And Opening Weekend Box Office Projections
The success of the 2019 filmJokerputs significant pressure on its sequel, to either match or exceed its predecessor’s performance. This pressure intensifies given the sequel’s substantial budget, whichreportedlystands at $200 million, compared to the original’s$55 million budget.
With such a large financial investment, even a moderate success could be seen as a disappointment. Its projected box office performance for the opening weekend is also concerning in regards to its box office performance.
Joker: Folie À Deuxisprojected to gross$55–60 million in its domestic opening weekend. The projected numbers are considerably lower than the original film, which opened to $96.2 million domestically and became the first October release to surpass $100 million.
Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Was Worse Than Blue Beetle – Glaring Reason Why You Should Take Joker: Folie à Deux Low Critics Ratings With a Pinch of Salt
The box office projections also align with the opening performances of other recent DC films, such asThe Flash, whichdebutedat $55 million before concluding its run with a total of $271 million globally, and MCU’sThe Marvels, which badly flopped,grossing only$206 million worldwide after an opening weekend of just $46 million.
The Bold Fusion of Musical Elements With a Psychological Thriller
Musicals and thrillers each have their unique appeal, and when done right, both can offer incredible experiences. However,Joker: Folie à Deuxtakes an unconventional approach by blending these two captivating genres.
The film’s combination of musical elements in Joker and Harley Quinn’s story has received a mixed reception. While some appreciate the boldness of merging genres, not everyone shares that enthusiasm,describing the film as“La La Land for deranged people.”
Following the announcement that the film would be a jukebox musical, a specific segment of theaudience expressed dissatisfaction,insisting on a straightforward sequel to the iconic original.
The reactions highlight a divide among fans who are less than thrilled about the musical components being integrated into a story that was originally framed as a gritty psychological thriller with a deeply complex character.
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Moreover, the sequel also positions itself as a courtroom drama, set after the events of the first film, where Arthur is facing trial for a series of murders. However,Joker 2appears to devolve into a bizarre courtroom drama that fails to deliver a compelling or dramatic narrative.
Competition With Other Films Amid the Prevalent Superhero Fatigue
The year 2023 proved to be significant for the superhero genre, especially marked by numerous critical and commercialdisappointments across major franchises, including the DCEU,Indiana Jones, and the MCU.
Harrison Ford’sfarewelltoIndiana JonesinDial of Destinyco-incided with thelackluster performances of films likeShazam! 2, The Flash, Blue BeetleandThe Marvels, raising concerns about diminishing audience interest in franchises and superhero fatigue.
While films likeDeadpool and Wolverineemerged as glimmers of hope,Joker: Folie à Deuxmight revert to the original worries about the genre. Although it is not strictly defined as a superhero movie, it is ultimately based on a DC character.
Despite being one of the most anticipated films of the year, the sequel may struggle to draw in viewers, especially if competing films present more compelling storylines or star power.
Todd Phillips’ Acknowledging The Sequel’s Potential for Failure
The 2019 film,Joker, whose success paved the way forJoker: Folie à Deuxwith its unexpected hit in almost every regard, frombecoming the first R-rated filmto gross over $1 billion to earning Joaquin Phoenix his first Academy Award.
While fans have been excited about the sequel, anticipating its potential impact, the filmmaker’s acknowledgment of the inherent risks and challenges raises questions about its reception.Todd Phillips, in an interview withEmpire, discussed these concerns, stating,
If it doesn’t feel like it’s dangerous, if there’s not a good chance that you’re gonna fail spectacularly then… what’s the point? That was literally the reason to do it, The only reason Joaquin would even do a sequel is if it felt frightening to him.
He continued,
One thing he really got off on on the first movie was this fear, every day, this nauseous fear of like, ‘What are we f–king doing?’ He did not want it to be easy. And he wanted to feel as scared on this one. He goes, ‘Well, if I’m gonna do it, I just want to feel that it could not work.
While the bold creative choice may appeal to some, it also increases the chances of the film not resonating with a broad audience, leading to a divided reception.
Regardless of the reasons, it is disheartening for movie enthusiasts to see films likeJoker, which achieved remarkable success and secured a historic place in cinema, potentially being undermined by sequels.
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Todd Phillips, the filmmaker known for his work on projects likeThe Hangovertrilogy andWar Dogs, recently suggested that he is not interested in continuing with the DC franchise beyond these films.
“It’s not really where this movie is headed for me. I feel like my time in the DC Universe was these two films,”Phillips recently said when asked about a potential standalone film for Gaga’s Harley Quinn, as perThe Hollywood Reporter. The filmmaker had also expressed a lack of interest in makingJoker 3.
Jokeris available to watch on Max.
Joker: Folie à Deuxis now playing in theatres.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
