Joker: Folie à Deux Disappoints at the Box Office Joker: Folie à Deux, the highly anticipated musical drama sequel, earned an underwhelming estimated
Joker: Folie à Deux Disappoints at the Box Office
Joker: Folie à Deux, the highly anticipated musical drama sequel, earned an underwhelming estimated $40m North American number one debut through Warner Bros, a result that falls short of expectations given the reported $200m price tag and the box office heroics of its 2019 predecessor.
Todd Phillips’ film earned muted reviews straight out of the gate at its world premiere in Venice and carries a D CinemaScore, the lowest for a superhero film. Even last year’s much-maligned The Marvels from Marvel Studios scored a "B" and opened on $46.1m.
The R-rated sequel sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his Oscar-winning role as the troubled Arthur Fleck aka Joker, opposite Lady Gaga. It had been tracking to open on at least $50m and arrived very far away from the $96.2m opening weekend of Joker, which reportedly cost $55m to make and exploded out of the gate back in October 2019 on its way to $335.5m in North America.
Observers attributed the disappointing number to confusion over the film’s genre and a lack of action. The second weekend will present a clearer picture of the tentpole’s fate in North America.
International Performance
One early saving grace is that Joker: Folie à Deux earned $81.1m in its international opening salvo, which will offer relief, although matching Joker’s $1bn-plus final global gross is a huge ask.
DC Studio’s New Slate
Another optimistic takeaway is that Joker: Folie à Deux marks the end of the current DC output before the new slate of DC Studios tentpoles kicks off next year with James Gunn’s Superman reboot. A lot will be riding on what Gunn and his co-head Peter Safran can build in what is essentially a company-wide reset.
Other Box Office News
DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed awards hopeful The Wild Robot finished in second place on $18.7m through Universal Pictures after a decent 48% drop in the second weekend to reach $63.9m.
In fourth place, Paramount Animation and Hasbro Entertainment’s Transformers One – another film that has earned critical acclaim despite its muted box office – fell 42% in the third weekend and added $5.4m from 3,106 sites to raise the tally to $47.2m.
Awards Hopefuls
Sony Pictures Classics released Saoirse Ronan drama The Outrun on 508 screens and reported a $334,249 opening weekend gross. The story of a woman looking for closure after a troubled past is expected to figure in awards season.
Another awards hopeful, Columbia Pictures’ Telluride and Toronto premiere Saturday Night from Jason Reitman, expanded through Sony in its second weekend from five to 21 sites and executives reported $280,000 for a $638,000 running total. This is the second stage in the three-step release that will see the film go wide on October 11.
Conclusion
The box office performance of Joker: Folie à Deux has raised questions about the film’s appeal and its potential to reach a broader audience. Despite its international performance, the film’s disappointing domestic opening has set a challenging precedent for its success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the estimated North American box office performance of Joker: Folie à Deux?
A: $40m
Q: What is the reported budget for Joker: Folie à Deux?
A: $200m
Q: How does Joker: Folie à Deux’s performance compare to its 2019 predecessor?
A: Joker earned $96.2m in its opening weekend, while Joker: Folie à Deux earned $40m.
Q: What are the critical reviews of Joker: Folie à Deux?
A: The film carries a D CinemaScore, the lowest for a superhero film.
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