Everyone would think that a movie as well-received and liked as Joker must deserve a sequel. Bringing Joaquin Phoenix back as the titular character with Todd Phillips as the director, nothing could go wrong as the studio geared up to mint money yet again.
However, the opening box office numbers for Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to the 2019 blockbuster, reflect a poor performance overview. Even at the Venice Film Festival where the movie was first premiered, the audience failed to resonate with the flick as Joker 2 fell flat on its face.
Todd Phillips Parts Ways With DC
Joker was a sensation when it was first released. With Oscar buzz and a high box office collection, fans were floored by the performances of the actors and the overarching story. This made Joker one of the best DC projects about a villain’s origin story to date. Joaquin Phoenix even clinched his first-ever Oscar, thanks to his eccentric acting as the lead character.
Directed by Todd Phillips, both Joker and its sequel narrate the story of Arthur Fleck, who suffers from a mental health issue and gives birth to an alter ego. Joker: Folie à Deux takes the story ahead as Fleck comes across the love of his life in Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. While everyone was seemingly excited by this fresh pairing and the collective talent they bring to the table, the sequel’s performance has been abysmal.
On top of that, Phillips claimed that he would be moving on from the DC Universe since his time with the studio ended here. When The Hollywood Reporter asked if Phillips would be interested in taking Gaga’s version of Quinn ahead, he replied,
It’s not really where this movie is headed for me. I feel like my time in the DC Universe was these two films.
After her standout performance in A Star is Born, the industry expects only great things out of Gaga. Phillips claims she was eager to take on this role and bedazzle the masses with her quirky energy on screen. While it’s hard to point out what exactly went wrong with the sequel, it surely does not seem to be on the path of success as Joker.
Budget for Joker: Folie à Deux
Back in 2019, Joker landed at the box office with a bang. It was made with a meager budget of $55–70 million whereas the box office collections amassed to $1.079 billion. This clearly shows the extent of success the first movie reveled in. On the other hand, the sequel Joker: Folie à Deux is struggling to break even since it was made on a huge budget of $190-200 million in the first place.
If we had to guess, this could be one of the reasons why the sequel bled money for DC and Warner Bros rather than turn a profit. The immense budget excludes the marketing efforts which have seemingly been limited for the sequel. It is indeed a tough job of following the footsteps of the first movie especially when it goes beyond everyone’s expectations.
Joker: Folie à Deux is playing in theatres worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Todd Phillips leaving the DC Universe after Joker: Folie à Deux?
According to the article, Todd Phillips said his time in the DC Universe was limited to the two Joker films. When The Hollywood Reporter asked whether he would continue Lady Gaga’s version of Harley Quinn, he replied that it was not really where the movie was headed for him, adding that he felt his DC tenure was “these two films.” His exit follows the sequel’s poor reception.
How did Joker: Folie à Deux perform compared to the original Joker?
The article reports that the 2019 Joker was a sensation, made on a $55-70 million budget and earning roughly $1.079 billion, plus a Best Actor Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix. By contrast, the sequel reportedly performed poorly, with weak opening box office numbers and a tepid response even at its Venice Film Festival premiere, leaving it struggling against far higher costs.
What was the budget for Joker: Folie à Deux?
The article states that Joker: Folie à Deux was made on a budget of $190-200 million, roughly three times the original film’s $55-70 million. It notes this figure excludes marketing, which reportedly appeared limited. The large budget is cited as a likely reason the sequel struggled to break even and reportedly lost money for DC and Warner Bros.
