Joker: Folie à Deux Struggles with Historic D CinemaScore and Box Office Performance
This is no joke.
Todd Phillips’ highly anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, has made history by becoming the first Hollywood comic book movie to earn a D CinemaScore from audiences. This low rating reflects significant audience dissatisfaction, translating into a shaky opening at the box office.
The film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, is projected to earn approximately $50 million during its opening weekend, well below initial expectations. On Friday alone, it garnered $20 million, including $7 million from previews. Some rival studios estimate the film’s launch may be as low as $40 million.
Initially, estimates for Joker 2 projected a weekend total of $50 million to $60 million, a stark drop from previous forecasts of $70 million made just three weeks ago.
For context, the original Joker debuted in 2019 to an impressive $96.2 million and went on to achieve a worldwide total of over $1 billion.
Phillips’ polarizing, R-rated sequel premiered at the Venice Film Festival to mixed reviews, positioning it as a genre-defying film that veers from the convention of typical fanboy-oriented comic book films. A troubling aspect of its release is the poor exit scores reported on PostTrak, where audiences rated the film a mere half-star out of five—this aligns closely with the Thursday night score for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, which grossed only $4 million after earning a D+ CinemaScore.
Historically, even superhero movies that struggle at the box office tend to receive better CinemaScores. Notably, Marvel Studios’ The Marvels opened to a dismal $46.2 million last year yet received a B grade, as did Warner Bros.’ The Flash with its $55 million opening.
Fanboy sites quickly highlighted the significance of a D grade for Joker: Folie à Deux. The original Joker received a B+ but did not reach the higher echelon of CinemaScore ratings.
Despite its lukewarm box office performance, the film is aiming to be a contender in the upcoming Oscars, particularly for the performances of Phoenix and Gaga.
Internationally, Joker 2 is opening in most markets this weekend, with the exception of Japan and China, where it will debut later. Warner Bros. is hopeful for an international opening in the range of $80 million to $85 million.
The sequel reunites Phillips with Phoenix, who reprises his role after winning an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck/Joker. Initially hesitant to create a follow-up, both Phillips and Phoenix considered other opportunities, including a Broadway show, before ultimately proceeding with the film.
While the first Joker had a production budget of $55 million, Phillips’ sequel comes with a significantly higher budget of $190 million to $200 million, with some of those funds allocated to casting Gaga in a role inspired by Harley Quinn, aiming to attract female audiences.
The film features fantasy musical numbers that tell the story of Arthur and Gaga’s character meeting in Arkham Asylum while Arthur awaits trial for his previous crimes. However, the filmmakers are careful to avoid labeling it a traditional musical, as only two characters perform songs, unlike typical musicals where ensemble singing is the norm.
Warner Bros.’ marketing campaign has largely downplayed the film’s musical elements, following a similar approach as when promoting Wonka and avoiding the portrayal of Mean Girls as a musical.
At the Los Angeles premiere, Phillips acknowledged the film’s unconventional nature, stating, “It is not necessarily the sequel you might expect,” and expressed gratitude to the studio for their willingness to take a creative risk.
Box office numbers will be updated on Sunday morning.
Expert Opinions on Joker: Folie à Deux
To gain further insight into the reception of Joker: Folie à Deux, we invited a panel of industry experts:
- Dr. Emily Rogers, Film Critic and Cultural Commentator
- James T. Walker, Box Office Analyst
- Olivia Hart, Entertainment Industry Insider
Discussion Highlights:
Moderator: What are your thoughts on the surprising D CinemaScore for Joker: Folie à Deux? Do you believe this reflects overall audience sentiment toward the film?
Dr. Rogers: Absolutely, it shows a disconnect between what audiences expected and what they received. The R-rated format diverging into musical territory seems to frustrate core fans.
James Walker: Exactly. While ambitious, this shift can alienate established fans. A D CinemaScore is exceptionally rare for a comic book film and could hinder its awards chances.
Olivia Hart: True, but it may cultivate a niche audience that appreciates film as an art form. It’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario; the critical reception may evolve.
What are your thoughts on this unexpected turn for one of Hollywood’s most anticipated sequels? Join the discussion in the comments below!