Yesterday, we learned that Joker: Folie à Deux earned only $37.8 million at the North American box office during its opening weekend. We originally expected a $70 million debut, though the number continuously dropped before landing around the $50 million - $55 million mark.
As the weekend drew closer, though, $40 million started looking like the best possible outcome for the Joker sequel. However, it wasn't just domestically that the divisive movie underperformed.
Variety reveals that it fell short overseas with a $77 million start. That's a noteworthy drop from Warner Bros. Discovery's $81.1 million projections on Sunday and another indication that moviegoers wholly rejected Joker: Folie à Deux whether they'd seen it or not.
Now, its revised worldwide total is $114.8 million.
This is an unmitigated disaster; in 2019, Joker opened with $96.2 million in the U.S. alone and eventually grossed over $1 billion worldwide. Analysts currently believe the best this follow-up will manage is $275 million when all is said and done.
"I think the musical element was the wrong direction," Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations, tells the trade. "If you look at what made 'Joker' a hit, it was going to darker places. Todd Phillips wanted to do something completely different. But if you aren’t giving audiences what they want, I’m not sure who you’re serving."
With a $200 million budget before marketing, Joker: Folie à Deux will lose a lot of money for the studio and raise a lot of big questions about the DC brand's true value. The pressure is on Superman to deliver next summer, that's for sure.
In our review of the movie, we concluded by saying, "Lady Gaga shines and Joaquin Phoenix brings more of the same to Joker: Folie à Deux, a wholly unnecessary sequel with no new ideas and nothing to say. It doesn’t work as a movie or a musical. What a waste of $200 million."
Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him.
The sequel stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar-winner Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born). The movie also features Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker.
Joker: Folie À Deux is now playing in theaters.