Joker sequel faces financial turmoil amidst poor reviews
"Joker: Folie à Deux" was anticipated to be a major box office success. How could it not be, when the first part grossed over a billion dollars worldwide and was a hit in 2019? However, the second instalment of the Joker story is receiving criticism from viewers.
"Joker" starring Joaquin Phoenix was a major box office hit in 2019. The world was abuzz about the brilliant performance of the actor, who masterfully portrayed the life-tormented, lonely Arthur Fleck, a character who descends into madness and wants to set the world on fire with his anger. The film, directed by Todd Philips, was a phenomenon that year, raking in over a billion dollars from ticket sales and winning two Oscars (plus nine nominations) - for Best Actor and Best Original Score. Since October 4th, the second part - "Joker: Folie à Deux" is in the cinemas. However, the audience turnout has been disappointing.
Sensibly speaking, "Folie à Deux" is unlikely to repeat the first film's success. It is already being described as a major financial failure. Following the lacklustre performance of Kevin Costner's "Horizon," "Folie à Deux" represents the second such significant setback for a Hollywood project this year.
At the beginning of September, the film was projected to earn £105 million to £120 million in the United States over its opening weekend. However, after its premiere in Venice, where the first negative reviews emerged alongside review bombing - where groups rate a film negatively without viewing it - the ratings for "Joker" began to fall.
The opening weekend gross was merely £30 million. The second weekend of the film’s release performed even worse, earning £6 million. This £160 million production was surpassed at the box office by a horror film shot for just £2 million - "Terrifier 3" grossed £15 million in the United States during its opening weekend.
Forecasts suggest that the final US box office for "Folie à Deux" is likely to be around £50 million, with a maximum of £175 million globally, which is problematic for Warner Bros. According to Warner Bros. sources, the film needs £300 million to break even, although it is currently anticipated that "Folie à Deux" will incur losses between £120 million and £160 million. Warner Bros. counters these speculations by pointing out that the film is still showing in cinemas, and additional revenue might be generated from VOD platforms.
"Variety" reports that the film's streaming release won't be a long wait. The second "Joker" is expected to appear on a streaming platform as soon as 29th October, just in time for Halloween. It’s worth noting that the first part can be watched on Netflix or Prime Video.
