Joker: Folie à Deux Fails with Disappointing $40M Opening Weekend

The highly anticipated Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, directed by Todd Phillips, has bombed at the box office. The film, featuring acclaimed actors Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, opened with an estimated domestic revenue of just $40 million. This figure fell significantly short of expectations, marking a notable dip compared to its predecessor, which debuted to an impressive $96.2 million back in 2019. Despite the excitement surrounding the sequel, it seems that both audience and critical reception have not aligned favorably. One of the most shocking aspects of this release is that Joker 2 has become the first film in the history of Hollywood comic book adaptations to receive a D CinemaScore from audiences. This notorious grade reflects a grim feedback loop, where viewers reportedly expressed disappointment with the musical elements integrated into the antihero narrative. Analysts noted that audience reactions were not just lukewarm; they appeared to be actively negative, suggesting that the film failed to resonate with fans who were eager for a follow-up to the original. Warner Bros. insiders have shown their disappointment, acknowledging that there is no way to sugarcoat the lackluster performance.