“Joker: Folie à Deux” Disappoints with $40M Opening, Falls Short of Expectations
Joker: Folie à Deux, the highly anticipated sequel to the billion-dollar hit “Joker,” stumbled at the box office, debuting to a lukewarm $40 million—well below the initial projections of $50-$65 million and even further from the $70 million expected when pre-release tracking began. This opening weekend performance is a stark contrast to the original “Joker,” which set an October record with a massive $96.2 million in 2019.
The disappointing debut is concerning for Warner Bros., as the R-rated sequel carries a hefty $200 million production cost, much higher than the $65 million budget of its predecessor. According to industry insiders, “Folie à Deux” will need to generate at least $450 million globally just to break even. The film’s lackluster start, coupled with poor word-of-mouth, raises doubts about its box office staying power. With a 33% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a dismal “D” CinemaScore from audiences, it’s likely the film will struggle to maintain momentum.
Jeff Bock, an analyst at Exhibitor Relations, noted, “When you greenlight a sequel, you hope it does the business that the previous one did. This is definitely a concern. Warners probably overspent to get it made.”
The original “Joker” was a surprise hit, grossing $335 million domestically and $743 million internationally, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time. However, the sequel’s genre shift into a musical fantasy, featuring covers of classic songs like “Get Happy” and “For Once in My Life,” may have alienated audiences. Director Todd Phillips returned for the sequel, with Joaquin Phoenix reprising his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck, and Lady Gaga joining the cast as Harleen Quinzel. Yet, the drastic change in tone and style from the gritty drama of the first film seems to have been a gamble that didn’t resonate with critics or moviegoers.
Lionsgate’s “White Bird,” a prequel/sequel to the 2017 sleeper hit “Wonder,” also underwhelmed, earning just $1.5 million from 980 theaters. The film, focusing on Auggie’s former bully Julian, has failed to capture the same audience as its predecessor.
On a brighter note, DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot,” a family-friendly film, claimed second place with $18.7 million, bringing its two-week total to $63.9 million.
Other notable performers include Warner Bros.’ “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which continued to do well in its third weekend, earning $10.3 million and bringing its domestic total to $265.5 million. Meanwhile, Paramount’s “Transformers One” brought in $5.3 million for a domestic total of $47.2 million, and Universal’s horror remake “Speak No Evil” grossed $2.8 million, pushing its North American tally to $32.6 million.
In limited release, Sony’s “Saturday Night,” a film about the first-ever broadcast of “Saturday Night Live,” expanded from five to over 20 locations and earned $280,000 over the weekend, bringing its cumulative gross to $638,000. Looking ahead, next weekend will see the release of “Piece By Piece,” a biopic on Pharrell Williams animated with Lego bricks, alongside the wide release of “Saturday Night.”
With “Joker: Folie à Deux” missing its mark in its opening frame, all eyes will be on its second weekend performance to see if it can turn things around or continue its downward trajectory.