Who’s the Joker Now? Joker 2 Couldn’t Even Beat Morbius Box Office – Joaquin Phoenix’s Mark of Shame
Joaquin Phoenix’s transformative performance as the troubled Arthur Fleck in 2019’s Joker catapulted the film to monumental success. It wasn’t just a critical success, it also became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time at that point and earned 11 Oscar nominations, securing two wins, including Best Actor for Phoenix.
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Joker: Folie a Deux | WB
Given such an incredible reception, expectations for the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, were through the roof. Fans anticipated another powerful exploration of Fleck’s chaotic descent into madness, this time with the musical accompaniment of Lady Gaga. But when the box office figures for the sequel rolled in, the results were nothing short of shocking.
Joker 2’s Box Office Disaster: Worse Than Morbius
Jared Leto in Morbius | Credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
The headlines were as disheartening as they were unexpected, and despite the excitement surrounding Joker: Folie à Deux, it managed a domestic box office opening of just $37.8 million, failing to meet its already scaled-down projections of $50 million. It also had a significantly higher budget of $200 million, while the first one had a budget of only $55 million but brought in a whopping 96.2 million on the first weekend (via NBC Philadelphia).
‘JOKER 2’ actually earned $37.8M on its domestic box office opening weekend.WORSE than ‘Morbius.’ pic.twitter.com/w2P6wxCKTg— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) October 7, 2024
It was a dismal performance, especially when compared to Morbius, a Sony-Marvel film infamous for its poor reception. The Jared Leto starrer earned $39 million in its opening weekend, despite being labeled by audiences as ‘one of the worst superhero movies ever made.’
The worldwide opening collection of Morbius was $84 million, so Joker 2 has at least crossed this figure with $121.1 million (via Screenrant). However, it’s still no match to its first part which raked up to $248.8 million in the first weekend, with a total worldwide gross of 1.078 billion (via Box Office Mojo).
This is what happens when you declare war against your own fans. 👎🏻 Hollywood is COOKED.— Tom Löwe (@awaken_tom) October 7, 2024
Sad to read.I really wished them more success, especially Lady Gaga.— Blake (@BlakeAsCode) October 7, 2024
Deserved.— BASED PLAYER (@BASEDPLAYERLLC) October 7, 2024
It seems like “Joker 2” didn’t quite hit the mark at the box office.— Eser (@WrittenByES) October 7, 2024
What a disaster !— sangeethslal (@sangeethslal1) October 7, 2024
The sequel’s contrast with the first Joker film felt stark, while the original one smashed records with a $96 million opening, Folie à Deux stumbled right out of the gate. The film’s failure to connect with audiences was further emphasized by poor ratings.
Related Joker 2 Ratings Update is Devastating News for Everyone Hoping It’d Have Won Joaquin Phoenix His 2nd Oscar
The most painful part? The dismal box office was not a result of the competition or pandemic-related complications but stemmed from the movie itself. The audience just didn’t show up, and the excitement that once surrounded the return of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker had fizzled out, leaving Folie à Deux struggling to gain any momentum.
The Reasons Behind Joker 2’s Poor Performance
Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux | WB
For a movie that had all the elements of success, an A-list cast, a proven director, and a multi-million dollar budget, Joker: Folie à Deux baffled everyone with its underwhelming performance. So, what went wrong?
One major factor was the movie’s shift in tone and style, as the first Joker was a gritty, dark, and psychological exploration of a man’s unraveling sanity, the sequel ventured into new and unexpected territory with its musical elements.
Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Lee Quinzel (Harley Quinn) was a significant draw for some, but the musical sequences, far from being the show-stopping moments many expected, left audiences scratching their heads. The attempt to merge dark psychological drama with Broadway-style musical numbers proved divisive, alienating both die-hard fans of the first film and those curious to see how Gaga would contribute.
Related 7 Reasons Why Joker 2’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is So Bad
In the end, Joker: Folie à Deux serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of straying too far from the core elements that define a beloved character or franchise. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga may be stars in their own right, but even their talents couldn’t save the film from becoming a box office disappointment. While Morbius may have been mocked for its failures, it now stands as a surprising victor in this unexpected box office battle.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
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