Box Office Blues: “Joker: Folie à Deux” Struggles Amidst Mixed Reviews

In a twist that even Arthur Fleck could find darkly amusing, Joker: Folie à Deux has emerged as the number one movie at the box office, but the celebration is muted with a disappointing $40 million debut. This figure pales in comparison to its predecessor, which had a record-breaking opening of $96.2 million back in October 2019.

The sequel, directed by Todd Phillips, had been eagerly anticipated, especially after its predecessor garnered 11 Oscar nominations and over $1 billion globally. Initial tracking had suggested that Folie à Deux could hit around $70 million, but audience reception was less than favorable, with the Rotten Tomatoes score plummeting from 63% at the Venice Film Festival to a dismal 33% by the film’s opening weekend.

The highly anticipated follow-up faces stiff headwinds at the box office.

To make matters worse, exit polls painted a grim picture, yielding a D CinemaScore from opening night viewers — a stark contrast to the original’s reception. Polling from PostTrak corroborated this decline, giving the sequel a mere half star out of five. This unexpected result raises eyebrows across the industry as experts ponder how such a highly anticipated sequel could go so dramatically astray.

Costing almost twice as much to produce as its predecessor—estimated between $190 and $200 million—the stakes were high for Folie à Deux. Released in 4,102 locations, the film managed to earn approximately $81.1 million internationally, bringing its total global earnings to about $121.1 million. Expect more data as the movie opens in Japan and China in the coming weeks.

In second place, The Wild Robot from Universal and DreamWorks Animation added $18.7 million, while Warner Bros.’ Beetlejuice Beetlejuice secured third, and Transformers One and Speak No Evil rounded out the top five. Notably, White Bird flopped with just $1.5 million, despite receiving an A+ CinemaScore.

The pressure is palpable for Warner Bros. as theater owners were hoping for a stronger showing this fall. It seems the ambition behind Folie à Deux—a musical exploring deeper aspects of Arthur Fleck’s psyche, featuring Lady Gaga as a Joker superfan—might not have resonated well with fans. Critics pointed to the musical element as a significant misstep in the sequel’s approach, which diverged immensely from the grounded tone of the original.

“Phillips has followed his very antihero take on the Joker with a very anti-sequel,” notes Jake Coyle in his review for The Associated Press. “It combines prison drama, courthouse thriller, and musical, yet turns out remarkably inert.”

Critics and fans divide over the daring artistic choices in the sequel.

The divide among audiences and critics has led to a slew of think pieces, with some suggesting the film’s creative direction was a deliberate distancing from its predecessor. Others have been less kind, dismissing it as a “middle finger” to fans who revered the first film for its raw storytelling and character exploration.

However, the film does have its defenders. Francis Ford Coppola chimed in with praise for Todd Phillips on Instagram, expressing admiration for the director’s innovative storytelling. “@ToddPhillips films always amaze me,” Coppola wrote, reminding audiences that sometimes giants falter but still produce profound work.

Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro contends that the decision to turn this sequel into a musical alienated a substantial portion of its audience, saying, “No fan of the original movie wanted to see a musical sequel.” This remark reflects the underlying anxiety within the fanbase about the sequel’s ambitious nature, which has become a source of contention.

As the weekend’s box office receipts are counted, Joker: Folie à Deux serves as a sobering reminder in an industry often buoyed by blockbuster expectations. While the film treads into ambitious territory, it also sparks a conversation about the complexities of sequels and audience expectations.

For fans and critics alike, the road ahead remains uncertain as the cinematic landscape continues to evolve. A darker chapter looms in the Joker saga, one that invites speculation about the future of cinematic adaptations of comic book lore.

This unfolding narrative mirrors the complexities of the characters within it.

As Joker: Folie à Deux works its way through international audiences, will it rebound or continue to face the music of disappointment? Time will tell, as the film contemplates its place within the pantheon of comic book adaptations.

Ultimately, while box office numbers are crucial, it is the audience’s connection to the story and its characters that will determine whether Folie à Deux stands the test of time or fades into the background of cinematic history.