The fans, it seems, are not dancing Joker: Folie in Deux.
The film by director Todd Phillips, which includes the return of Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and the addition of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, was highly anticipated, especially after the success of the first chapter, released in 2019. Following its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, however, it was not without criticism from film critics and audiences in Italy. Since its release in the US this past weekend, where the film brought in less than $40 million at the box office, that chorus of discontent has grown exponentially.
Take, for example, The Joker 2The CinemaScore, currently a resounding D, is the lowest ever for a comic book. Before Folie in Deuxthe worst comic adaptation CinemaScore—a measure of American moviegoers’ opinions—was 2015’s most derided Fantastic Fourwhich received a C- upon release.
Joker: Folie in DeuxThe current score on the Rotten Tomatoes aggregator, meanwhile, sits at a paltry 33 percent.
Many have pointed out that this second installment is more ambitious but also less cohesive in its desire to incorporate the psychological exploration of these legendary villains. On social media, especially on X and TikTok, many people are upset that the film is a musical.
While Folie in DeuxThe box office missed predictions by about $10 million in the US, still reaching the top spot. It also debuted at No. 1 worldwide, bringing in just over $81 million at the international box office for a grand total of $121 million. Anyway, the original The Joker grossed over $96 million in its domestic opening weekend and went on to become one of the highest R-rated movies of all time.
There is another case there Joker: Folie in Deux it can save face, at least in terms of image and fame: film awards. There are speculations that Lady Gaga could receive an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress, mainly because the pop star’s role in the film is limited in terms of her screen time. Gaga may have a fighting chance in the music industry. You just released an album, Harlequinfeaturing her songs from the film and unreleased pieces inspired by her character Harley Quinn. Phoenix may also enter the race for the Academy Awards, although the competition is at a high level this year.
Joker, entered a very different cultural era when it hit theaters in 2019, earning 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. (Phoenix won the trophy for Best Actress, and Hildur Guðnadóttir also took home an award for her original score.) It’s unlikely that this poem will ever work again, but hope—like the Joker’s laugh—is to keep death at bay.