Failure to launch: Warner Bros.' Joker sequel stumbles
The continuation of the hit movie "Joker," which earned Warner Bros. over a billion dollars and numerous awards in 2019, has been a major disappointment. The film "Joker: Folie à Deux" did not meet the expectations of either critics or audiences, negatively impacting its box office results.
Although the past weekend did not prove successful for "Joker," as detailed more extensively here, the title is still being discussed. The industry press is analyzing the reasons for the film's financial failure. The Hollywood Reporter even questions who should take responsibility for this unfortunate events.
When Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy assumed leadership of Warner Bros. studio in June 2021, one of their initial actions was to accelerate work on a sequel to the Oscar-winning "Joker." The first film, directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix—both of whom earned $20 million—set a high standard for comic book adaptations. The budget for "Joker: Folie à Deux" was $190 million, three times more than the first film, and Lady Gaga joined the cast for a salary of $12 million.
Risky decision
Perhaps "Joker" would have had a different outcome if the studio had opted for test screenings. This is a standard procedure for films with high financial expectations to gauge audience reception. Why wasn't this done for the second "Joker"? According to the Hollywood Reporter, fears of leaks were the reason. The result? A lack of critical opinions before the premiere now raises questions about whether this could have contributed to the film's failure.
Box office failure
The film debuted in North America with a gross of $37.8 million, a drastic drop compared to the original and lower than other films considered financial flops, such as "The Flash" and "The Marvels." According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film received a rare D rating on CinemaScore, indicating outright rejection by the audience.
Inevitable decision
Despite the financial and critical failure, many industry insiders believe that De Luca and Abdy had no choice but to green-light the "Joker" sequel. It is worth noting that Warner Bros. was under pressure from its boss, David Zaslav, to fill the release calendar after the unsuccessful "Project Popcorn" experiment, which damaged relationships with creators, by moving all 2021 films directly to Max.
In short: the "Joker" sequel was simply necessary.
Director's autonomy and a star's dream
One issue critics noted was DC Studios' lack of oversight, which did not influence the production's direction. Todd Phillips, the director of both parts, made key decisions almost independently, from screenplay to editing. Although this approach ensured the success of the first "Joker," this time, the result was quite different.
Apparently, Joaquin Phoenix dreamed up the concept for this unique version of "Joker." He then inspired Phillips, leading to "Folie à Deux." The Hollywood Reporter asked its source for whom it was actually created. "For Joaquin," was the response.
