The reason 'Joker 2' failed miserably

Audiences and experts commented that "Joker: Folie à Deux" was disappointing because the main character was too sentimental, contrary to the image in the first part.

In its second week of release, the film is currently ranked third on the US box office chart for October 11-13 with $7.1 million, according to statistics from Box Office Mojo . That's down 82% from its opening weekend of $37.6 million. Internationally, the film has grossed more than $113 million.

With a production budget of 200 million USD excluding advertising costs, many experts comment Joker: Folie à Deux heavy losses, need to reach $450 million globally to break even.

In terms of quality, the project received a "rotten" tomato score of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes and D (bad) CinemaScore . In the first part, the director successfully described the bizarre, anti-social personality to reveal the Joker himself. In the sequel, instead of expanding the plot to further portray the character's depth, the filmmaker turned him into a weak person who denied his ego. He denied being the Joker, thinking that the Arthur Fleck identity was the murderer, wanting to start his life over. This detail caused a lot of controversy and questions about the reasonableness of the script.

According to ScreenRant , based on the storyline of the famous DC Comics villain, Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux are essentially comic book adaptations. However, aside from a few character names and the Gotham City setting, fans were disappointed that the film had little to do with the DC superhero universe. The film does not delve into Arthur's trauma after being imprisoned, but mainly describes the love story and court hearings, as well as retelling the events of the first part.

On the other hand, the overuse of music makes the script disjointed and difficult to follow. In an interview with Variety , director Todd Phillips once said that music is an important element to replace dialogue when the two main characters do not know how to express what they want to express. However, the songs they perform do not convey the message of the film.

Experts also said that director Phillips made a mistake by not holding test screenings to get audience feedback before bringing the finished work to the 2024 Venice Film Festival. Because these screenings are often an opportunity for the crew to listen to feedback and make timely adjustments before the film is released in theaters.

Lady Gaga (as Lee Quinzel) on the set of "Joker 2". Photo: Warner Bros.

Joker Directed by Todd Phillips, it was released in 2019 and grossed over $1 billion at the box office, setting a record for the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, before being Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) instead. At the 2020 Oscars, the project received 11 nominations and won two categories, including the Best Actor statuette for Joaquin Phoenix. The artist lost 50 pounds and spent months studying the smiles of mental patients to bring them to the screen.

Part two is set when Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is imprisoned in Arkham Asylum after killing five people. During a music therapy session, he falls in love with patient Lee Quinzel/Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). From here, the main character finds love, while struggling with two personalities inside.

Movie Name - Folie à Deux - is the name of a mental syndrome, when two individuals develop a mental illness after living close to each other for a period of time, may be socially or physically isolated and have little interaction with others.

In recent years, Warner Bros. has struggled with a series of unprofitable projects, such as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), The Color Purple (2023), Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024). The parent company's stock price is currently low - $7.67 a share. " Joker 2 "It's a huge flop for Warner Bros. at a time when the film industry is expecting a hit," said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities.

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