After collapsing in its opening weekend, and then being all but eviscerated in its sophomore frame,Joker: Folie à Deuxwitnessed a further drop in revenue as it entered only its third week in theaterson the verge of a premature debut on digital streaming platforms. The big-budget sequel to 2019’s blockbusterJokergrossed just over $2 million domestically this weekend, and it didn’t fare much better in overseas markets either, despite opening in China. The film generated under $15 million from international territories this weekend, as it neared perhaps its final global milestone.
With just $56 million domestically and another $135 million from international markets,Joker: Folie à Deux’scumulative global haul now stands at $192 million. While it’lllikely pass the $200 million milestoneby the end of its run, it isn’t going to make much more than that. This is a shockingly poor result for the direct sequel to a movie that not only made $1 billion worldwide but was also popular during the awards season.Jokerwon the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and earned starJoaquin Phoenixan Oscar for his central performance as a mentally ill outcast in a 1980s Gotham City inspired by the films ofMartin Scorsese.
The firstJokerhad a notoriously difficult production, with directorTodd Phillipshaving been restricted to a reported budget of around $60 million by Warner Bros. He was granteda reported $200 million budgetforJoker: Folie à Deux, which also premiered at Venice, but to significantly more muted response. But if the reviews were lukewarm, the audience was positively simmering with anger upon its commercial release.Joker: Folie à Deuxearned an unprecedented D CinemaScorefrom opening day crowds, and appears to have settled at a “rotten” 32% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes.
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Earned the Wrath of Fans
The film’s drop-off from the original can be compared to Disney’sAlice in Wonderland, which grossed over $1 billion in 2010, and its sequel,Alice Through the Looking Glass, which concluded its run with less than $300 million. Last year, the DC superhero movieAquaman and the Lost Kingdomgrossed around $430 million worldwide, just a few years after the originalAquamanhad cracked the $1 billion mark globally.
Joker: Folie à Deux’s dismal performance is being attributed to the introduction of musical elements and a narrative that largely revolves around the events of the first film.Lady Gagaappears as the fan-favorite Harley Quinn in the film, butJoker: Folie à Deuxstill hasn’t overtaken the already underwhelming box office haul ofBirds of Prey, the last live-action film to feature the character this prominently. She was played byMargot Robbiein that movie; Robbie returned as Harley inThe Suicide Squad, which concluded its run with $55 million domestically, but at the peak of the pandemic and with a day-and-date streaming release hampering its performance.
you may watchJoker: Folie à Deuxin theaters, or you can wait for itto hit digital platformsin a few days. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux explores Arthur Fleck’s ongoing struggle with his dual identity as he unexpectedly discovers love and unleashes his hidden musical talent. Set against a backdrop of societal unrest, Arthur’s journey intertwines personal transformation with chaotic encounters, leading to profound shifts in his life and the world around him.
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