Todd Phillips’ latest venture into the world of Gotham’s iconic villain, Joker: Folie à Deux, opened with a surprising fizzle rather than the expected bang. Despite the star power of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the musical sequel underwhelmed with a \$40 million domestic debut, a stark contrast to the runaway success of the 2019 original.
Audiences have made their discontent known, giving the movie a D CinemaScore—the first comic book film to ever receive such a low mark. The opening weekend’s performance fell well short of earlier projections, which had estimated Folie à Deux would bring in at least \$50-60 million. By comparison, the first Joker raked in \$96.2 million in its initial North American launch, backed by a modest \$55 million budget. This time around, the sequel’s budget has ballooned to \$190 million, making its underwhelming debut even more of a challenge for Warner Bros.
Joker: Folie à Deux garnered a mixed reception overseas, bringing in \$81.1 million, which brings the global debut to \$121.1 million. Although this performance was in line with overseas expectations, the numbers were still a far cry from the original film’s box office triumph. Notably, the film has yet to launch in Japan and China, which may add some relief to its financial tally.
The film’s opening woes seem rooted in poor word of mouth, which took a toll as the weekend progressed. Insiders speculate that the final domestic numbers might drop further to a disappointing \$37-39 million range once the dust settles. Rival studios are skeptical about the sequel’s long-term box office health, but Warner Bros. remains adamant in their belief in Todd Phillips’ creative direction—albeit while acknowledging their own surprise at the muted response.
Where the 2019 Joker drew praise and earned a fresh 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, its sequel has landed a dismal 33% score. Critics remain divided over the film’s unconventional approach, as Folie à Deux diverges sharply from the more traditional, action-driven comic book narratives. Instead, Phillips’ follow-up focuses more heavily on the psychological aspects of the characters, leaning into musical fantasy sequences. However, this daring blend seems to have pushed many viewers out of their comfort zones, earning the film lackluster PostTrak scores—audiences reportedly gave it just half a star out of five.
Despite its rocky start, Warner Bros. remains hopeful that Joker: Folie à Deux could become a contender in the upcoming awards season, especially given the acclaim for Phoenix’s and Lady Gaga’s performances. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it aimed to challenge audiences with its genre-bending mix of psychological drama and musical elements. Phillips himself acknowledged the risk, describing the movie as “not necessarily the sequel you might expect” during its Los Angeles premiere.
The sequel reunites Phillips with Joaquin Phoenix, who reprises his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck. Lady Gaga joins the fold as a character inspired by Harley Quinn, offering her musical talents to the film’s elaborate fantasy sequences. But both the studio and Phillips have been careful to avoid describing it as a full-fledged musical, given that only Arthur and Gaga’s character perform songs, rather than the entire ensemble as one might expect from traditional musicals.
The creative gamble hasn’t paid off quite as hoped—at least, not yet. Phillips’ narrative in Folie à Deux takes a slower, more introspective route compared to the chaotic, Scorsese-inspired energy of the first installment. While critics praised its beauty and craft, many took issue with its pacing and narrative depth. As David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter aptly noted, “For a movie running two-and-a-quarter hours, Folie à Deux feels narratively a little thin and at times dull.”
In the broader box office scene, Joker: Folie à Deux managed to secure the top spot for the weekend, despite the lower-than-hoped earnings. Warner Bros. did see other victories, with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice continuing its strong run, crossing \$400 million worldwide. Meanwhile, DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot and Paramount’s Transformers One continued to hold well, bringing in steady numbers during their second and third weekends respectively.
The Joker sequel falls under the DC Elseworlds brand, which allows for narratives that exist outside the main DC Universe. Unlike other DC entries, Folie à Deux was managed by Warner Bros. Motion Picture co-chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, rather than the DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. This detachment from the main continuity gave Phillips more creative freedom—a swing that may have been a little too bold for mainstream audiences.
Elsewhere in the industry, other recent releases struggled to find their footing. Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, which also suffered a steep decline in its second weekend, grossed just \$1.1 million. Coppola, however, took the opportunity to congratulate Phillips via social media, calling Joker: Folie à Deux another bold, unexpected step in Phillips’ career.
Movies like Megalopolis and Joker: Folie à Deux may not be box office hits, but they represent something crucial to the world of cinema: a willingness to take big creative swings. While there are plenty of films that stick to the familiar formula—the kind that guarantee a return on investment with stars like Ryan Reynolds or The Rock—cinema also needs ambitious projects that dare to challenge audiences and push boundaries. These films might not always succeed in the traditional sense, but they are essential for keeping the art form alive and evolving.
The weekend box office may have been a mixed bag, but Phillips’ experiment is not without its champions—those who appreciate a comic book film that refuses to conform. Whether Joker: Folie à Deux can ultimately redeem itself or fade quietly remains to be seen, but for now, it stands as an audacious attempt to subvert expectations in a genre that rarely ventures beyond its tried-and-true formula.
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