The fans, it seems, are not dancing Joker: Folie à Deux.
The film by director Todd Phillips, which features the return of Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and the incorporation of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, was highly anticipated, especially after the success of the first chapter, released in 2019. After its world premiere in the Venice Film Festival Film, however, there was no shortage of criticism of film critics and the public that saw it in Italy. Since its US release last weekend, during which the film attracted a 40 million dollars less than expected At the box office, that chorus of discontent has grown louder.
Take, for example, joker 2‘s CinemaScore, which is currently a resounding dhe lowest ever for a comic book movie. Before Folie for twoThe worst comic adaptation CinemaScore, a measure of American moviegoers’ opinions, belonged to 2015’s much-derided one. The fantastic fourwhich earned a C– upon its release.
Joker: Folie à DeuxMeanwhile, Rotten Tomatoes’ current score on the review aggregator sits at a meager 33 percent.
Many have pointed out that this second installment is too ambitious but also not very coherent in its desire to combine the psychological exploration of these famous villains. On social networks, particularly in unknown and on tiktoka lot of people are simply bothered that the movie is a musical.
While Folie for twoAlthough the US box office missed projections by about $10 million, it still reached the top spot. It also ranked number one worldwide, grossing just over $81 million at the international box office for a total of $121 million. Still, the original Joker It grossed over $96 million in its opening weekend domestically and became one of the highest-grossing R-rated films of all time.
There is another front on which Joker: Folie à Deux could save face, at least in terms of image and prestige: the film awards. There is speculation that Lady Gaga could earn an Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category, particularly since the pop star’s role in the film is limited in terms of her screen time. Gaga could also have a fighting chance in the music categories. She just released an album, Harlequinwhich contains her songs from the film as well as unreleased pieces inspired by her Harley Quinn character. Phoenix could also enter the race for the Academy Awards, although competition is at an all-time high this year.
Joker, which tapped into a very different cultural moment when it hit theaters in 2019, garnered 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. (Phoenix won the Best Actor trophy and Hildur Guðnadóttir also took home an award for her original music.) It’s unlikely that this sequel can work as well, but hope, like the Joker’s laugh, is the last to die.