JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Lady Gaga Breaks Her Silence On Negative Response To Todd Phillips' DC Box Office Flop

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Lady Gaga Breaks Her Silence On Negative Response To Todd Phillips' DC Box Office Flop

Joker: Folie À Deux star Lady Gaga has addressed the negative reviews for the DC sequel, sharing her take on audiences rejecting what was expected to be another hit from Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix.

By JoshWilding - Jan 28, 2025 09:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Joker
Source: Elle

Joker was a record-breaking $1 billion success in 2019, landing countless award nominations and even a "Best Actor" trophy for lead star Joaquin Phoenix. 

Despite him and filmmaker Todd Phillips vowing to never make a sequel, they reunited for Joker: Folie À Deux and turned to singer and actor Lady Gaga to bring Lee Quinzel to life. Given a massive budget by Warner Bros. - the studio was likely convinced more box office success was guaranteed - Phoenix and Phillips chose to make a musical that, ultimately, no one wanted to see.

That's evident from a dismal $206 million haul at the global box office and the only awards Joker: Folie À Deux looks set to win this year are Razzies. 

Elle recently ran a profile on Gaga and asked her about what proved to be a rare career misstep with Phillips' DC Comics adaptation. 

"People just sometimes don't like some things," Gaga acknowledged. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended."

For the singer, who became the first woman to win an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Grammy Award in the same year in 2019, it's the fear of failure which can be more damaging than actually failing. 

"When that makes its way into your life," she told the site, "that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem."

Neither Phoenix nor Phillips have spoken out about Joker: Folie À Deux's failings, though both are bound to have been left reeling from failing to net what would have been massive bonuses had the sequel been a hit.

You can check out Gaga's photoshoot by following the link in the X post below.

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 available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, Digital, and can be found streaming on Max.

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 1/28/2025, 9:26 AM
she also probably thinks captain america shouldn't represent captain america
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Vigor
Vigor - 1/28/2025, 9:26 AM
Couldn't have come up with a better answer myself
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 1/28/2025, 2:18 PM
@Vigor -

Because you can't come up with a good answer for anything?
Vigor
Vigor - 1/28/2025, 2:27 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - and good afternoon to you too
Conquistador
Conquistador - 1/28/2025, 9:27 AM
I'm not a fan of Gaga per say, some of her tunes are catch, but she's correct here.

The movie felt pointless and by being made and released it kind of ruins the first one knowing where this one ended.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 1/28/2025, 9:28 AM
@MarkCassidy -

slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 1/28/2025, 9:38 AM
She’s an artist… she knows what you consider a passion project that felt so right could be received as trash even if the artist loves the work they did. In this case I’d guess even she wasn’t impressed with what they accomplished.
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 1/28/2025, 9:38 AM
I understand what Todd was trying to do here

But to do it at the expense of such a classic villain, the DC Fans and the success of the first movie.

It was just selfish and uncalled for in every sense.

Joaquin and Gaga were sold dream which was a nightmare but for some reason, the latter is still in the dream.

She needs to wake the [frick] up, the movie was terrible, it's so bad that I havent even watched it.

What a disaster.

For [frick]s sake

Lisa89
Lisa89 - 1/28/2025, 9:47 AM
@THEKENDOMAN - “it's so bad that I haven't even watched it” is the comment sections on this site in a nutshell. 😂🤣
Vigor
Vigor - 1/28/2025, 9:54 AM
@Lisa89 - yup!

The cognitive dissonance is unreal
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 1/28/2025, 10:30 AM
@Lisa89 - Facts😂
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 1/28/2025, 10:41 AM
@Vigor - there is nothing cog…figi bob’s your uncle about anything here.

The movie was shit, I dont need to watch it to know that. The last best musical was Dreamgirls and ain't no Joaquin and Gaga going to beat it.

In my opinion anyway,

If you liked it, well, to wash his or her own.

But don't be insultive with those big words. 😎
CaptainTriip
CaptainTriip - 1/28/2025, 11:43 AM
@THEKENDOMAN - NICE, we have a winner for dumbest post of the day. Now go crawl back into your basement and stop bothering the people with actual talent. Maybe you can make puppet shows for yourself of how all these stories SHOULD be done.
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 1/28/2025, 12:11 PM
@CaptainTriip - 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 @ puppetshows 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 @crawl back into your basement 😂😂😂😂

For all we know you may very well be a puppet master in a basement yourself 😂😂

😂😂😂@Captain Triip, yep your definitely triiping on something 😂😂😂😂

Is this the best you got, at least @Vigor put some big words I can't pronounce in it. 😂😂😂
Vigor
Vigor - 1/28/2025, 1:23 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - lol just expanding your mind and vocabulary man
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 1/28/2025, 1:27 PM
@Vigor - 😂😂 Bitch😂😂😂

Much appreciated 👊
Mxyzptlked
Mxyzptlked - 1/28/2025, 5:45 PM
@CaptainTriip - ah, dam edgy lol
Superheromoviefan
Superheromoviefan - 1/28/2025, 9:44 AM
sometimes i hate artists
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xfan320
xfan320 - 1/28/2025, 10:57 AM
@Superheromoviefan - is that a piece of "Art"? Because I would not be surprised at all to hear that was from some fancy gallery and sold for millions to some wealthy idiot
Superheromoviefan
Superheromoviefan - 1/28/2025, 11:05 AM
@xfan320 -
what are you talking about?
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ElJefe
ElJefe - 1/28/2025, 1:44 PM
@Superheromoviefan - The story of this banana is bonkers.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 1/28/2025, 10:03 AM
Came here to mock her response, but that's actually a good approach.

Movie still sucked nuts though.
Gambito
Gambito - 1/28/2025, 10:05 AM
Thoroughly enjoyed it, I understand the hate tho
Oberlin4Prez
Oberlin4Prez - 1/28/2025, 10:07 AM
If the rest of Hollywood could get on board with this line of thinking, they might be able to pull their heads out of their butts long enough to start making consistently good movies/TV again, instead of blaming all the supposed "ists" and "phobes".

SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 1/28/2025, 10:14 AM
@Oberlin4Prez - The problem with Hollywood is that actors, directors, and producers forget that they are creating a project that they are trying to sell to the masses. But what seems to be happening is that pretentious Hollywood elites believe their work is gospel. And the moment it fails they blame other industries or people being "dumb". Rather than accept that their art at the time wasn't for everyone.
Oberlin4Prez
Oberlin4Prez - 1/28/2025, 12:33 PM
@SonOfAGif - No doubt. Hollywood has made the mistake of hating it's audience and making it known at every turn and then cried foul when the thing fails.
Mxyzptlked
Mxyzptlked - 1/28/2025, 5:48 PM
@Oberlin4Prez - What tween wrote this dross? Sounds salty af lol
Mxyzptlked
Mxyzptlked - 1/28/2025, 5:49 PM
@SonOfAGif -

"hollyWood elitEs" lol gramps
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 1/28/2025, 10:12 AM
At the end of the day this is the argument people seem to never take into consideration when debating something. Art is subjective. Movies, shows, games, and so on are never going to be globally loved. This is why we all have opinions and preferences. The movie in my opinion was terrible. But I would never bash someone or discredit their opinion for liking it. That's their opinion and their joy that I would be wasting energy trying to dismantle.
Forthas
Forthas - 1/28/2025, 10:18 AM
I don't think anyone can blame her! That lies soley at the feet of Todd Phillips and James Gunn!
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 1/28/2025, 10:43 AM
That's actually a great statement about being an artist in general. Lady Gaga never ceases to impress me
DREAMER
DREAMER - 1/28/2025, 11:09 AM
She calls herself "an artist" what narcissistic asshole
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 1/28/2025, 1:35 PM
@DREAMER - which I think is actually the dictionary definition of artist.
cheeseburger
cheeseburger - 1/28/2025, 3:13 PM
@DREAMER - fyi. Musicians are artist, they just paint with there words and voice instead of paints and brushes
Mxyzptlked
Mxyzptlked - 1/28/2025, 5:50 PM
@DREAMER - lol you wrote that lol
JacobsLadder
JacobsLadder - 1/28/2025, 11:24 AM
that flop wasn't her fault.
CaptainTriip
CaptainTriip - 1/28/2025, 11:45 AM
Yes this movie wasn’t good and yes she has more talent in her pinky than everyone who has ever posted here combined and no they don’t owe you anything
Mxyzptlked
Mxyzptlked - 1/28/2025, 5:51 PM
@CaptainTriip - Why so salty about a film? lol
GirshwinDavies
GirshwinDavies - 1/28/2025, 11:53 AM
Saw it at home. Wasn't that bad I guess. I dunno. Shouldn't have been a musical and felt like they neutered the man
DocSpock
DocSpock - 1/28/2025, 1:19 PM

She makes a good point. The thing sucked, and she didn't blame that on the audience. Good for her.

However, I think she is a complete lefty nut who has a beautiful singing voice that uses it to sing mostly crap. What do I know?

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