Oliver Mitchell

Joker Folie a Deux: A Dismal Debut for the Highly Anticipated Sequel

The latest installment in the Joker franchise has taken an unfortunate turn at the box office, marking a significant shift in expectations. Despite the anticipation surrounding its release, the film is now synonymous with disappointing metrics, having set a new benchmark of underperformance related to its audience reception. The sequel has garnered a Cinema Score of D, as reported by the official platform. This score marks a troubling first for the superhero genre, making it the only film of its kind to receive such a low rating from viewers. Furthermore, this represents the worst grade for a comic book film since the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four, which managed a C-.

This puts Joker Folie a Deux in the unfortunate company of low-rated titles like Madame Web and Morbius, which both achieved a C+ rating. The audience reception is also staggering, with Joker 2 currently sitting at a mere 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, well below Madame Web's 57% and Morbius's 71%. It's notable, however, that the sequel has outperformed both Sony titles in terms of critic reviews. The film’s opening weekend further solidifies its lackluster performance, raking in $40 million domestically and $121 million globally, all against a hefty production budget of $200 million. This starkly contrasts with the original Joker film, which debuted to $96 million in the U.S. and was developed on a budget of $55 million. The initial film achieved remarkable success, grossing over $1 billion during its theatrical run, which extended over 65 weeks. Critics have been similarly lukewarm in their responses.

Our own review, which rated it two stars, referred to the sequel as an unconventional musical tale that disappointingly misses the intended emotional highs. Despite these critiques, some audience members have expressed enthusiasm, describing Joker 2 as a bold and captivating work of art. Celebrations for Lady Gaga’s performance have also surfaced, with calls for her to take on more prominent roles in future projects. Now in theaters, Joker Folie a Deux has generated much discourse. There are additional analyses available, including explanations of the film’s ending, insights into the post-credits scene, and discussions regarding the potential for a third installation in the series.