Joker: Folie a Deux’s global box office returns spell out huge losses for Warner Bros., according to recently released figures. The musical film, which starred Joaquin Phoenix as the title character and Lady Gaga as a reimagined Harley Quinn, is now infamous due to its divisive reception with most audiences and critics giving it low marks, with the exception of some industry figures such as Quentin Tarantino. Joker 2 took some major risks in both story and execution, and its musical numbers, which use preexisting songs, failed to strike a chord with many fans.
After a couple of months in theaters, Joker 2 grossed $206 million globally against a $200 million budget. Factoring in advertising, the film will likely be a $150 million loss for Warner Bros., which was a massive shock following the first movie’s $1 billion haul. This news hits just before Joker 2 is slated to debut on Max on December 13 and HBO the following night at 8 pm EST.
What Joker 2’s Box Office Numbers Mean
For a film to break even, it needs to do more than make back its budget. Other considerations include the cut of profit that theaters receive and the cost of marketing. As such, Joker 2 is, unfortunately, nowhere near where it needs to be for Warner Bros. to consider it profitable. Per CNBC, the film had a marketing budget of around $100 million, meaning it would be at least that much more in box office sales to make its budget back.
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Even so, that figure would still mean that the film was a box office flop, as it failed to make a profit. A $206 million haul may sound impressive; however, when measured against a $200 million budget, it’s anything but. Worse yet, its predecessor was highly profitable, becoming the then highest-grossing rated R film of all time.
Our Take On Joker 2’s Box Office Numbers
When ideating Joker 2, director Todd Phillips did not have bankability in mind. Rather, he seemed to be making a statement with this sequel – that men like Arthur Fleck/Joker are not meant to be idolized. For the audience that clicked with the previous film, this may have felt like an insult or a departure from what was promised at its end, namely, Arthur fully embracing his Joker persona.
Alternatively, the film is atypical in how it presents its musical sequences, so it is unlikely to win over audiences from that camp. By creating the follow-up he wanted to see, Phillips alienated many fans and casual moviegoers, so word of mouth did not sustain the box office numbers for Joker 2 in the same way it did for its predecessor.
Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips’ critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.
- Director
- Todd Phillips
- Release Date
- October 4, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix , Lady Gaga , Brendan Gleeson , Catherine Keener , Zazie Beetz , Steve Coogan , Harry Lawtey , Leigh Gill , Jacob Lofland , Sharon Washington , Troy Fromin , Bill Smitrovich , John Lacy , Ken Leung
- Runtime
- 138 Minutes
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