Box Office: ‘Joker 2’ Stumbles With Lackluster $40 Million Debut

As an old-timer who’s witnessed more than my fair share of Hollywood blockbusters, I must say I find myself somewhat perplexed by the underperformance of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” The original was a phenomenal success, and sequels are often a surefire way to cash in on that initial buzz. But it seems that Warner Bros. might have overspent their hand this time.

In contrast to the triumphant opening as the top movie, earning $40 million, the genre-blending sequel of ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ fell flat at the box office.

The initial projected ticket sales for “Folie à Deux” were between $50 million and $65 million, but its actual opening weekend earnings fell short of that range due to disappointing sales. This was after “Joker 2” had already been estimated to make $70 million on pre-release tracking. The original “Joker,” released in 2019, made a record-breaking $96.2 million during the same weekend five years ago. For Warner Bros., these lower earnings are problematic given the success of the first film and the likelihood that negative word-of-mouth will impact its box office performance. The sequel has a high production cost of $200 million, while the original was made for just $65 million. To break even, “Folie à Deux” needs to earn at least $450 million, according to sources familiar with the film’s finances.

According to analyst Jeff Bock from Exhibitor Relations, when you approve a follow-up film, you expect it to earn as much as its predecessor did. However, there’s certainly apprehension about this project, given that Warners invested heavily in making the sequel happen.

Initially, “Joker” was intended as a standalone movie. However, its R-rated blockbuster status turned out to be one of the most financially successful comic book films, earning Phoenix an Oscar, and let’s face it, this is Hollywood. To reduce risk, Warner Bros. collaborated with Bron Creative and Village Roadshow for the production of “Joker,” sharing both costs and revenues. In contrast, Warner Bros. will be the only financier for the sequel.

The initial “Joker” film unexpectedly garnered massive success, earning $335 million domestically and $743 million overseas, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie at that moment. However, its sequel, “Folie à Deux,” might face difficulties in reaching profitability due to lukewarm reception from both critics and audiences. The original film scored a 33% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a D grade from cinema-goers. Initial reactions to the sequel were muted during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, in contrast to the acclaim received by the first film in 2019. This lack of excitement among critics and festival attendees has led to underwhelming reviews prior to the general release of the movie.

In the upcoming film “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Todd Phillips is back at the helm, with Joaquin Phoenix once again portraying Arthur Fleck. This time around, Arthur finds himself incarcerated at Arkham Asylum, where he crosses paths with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (played by Lady Gaga), another inmate and accomplice. Unlike the grim, dramatic predecessor that drew influence from Martin Scorsese films like “Taxi Driver,” a significant portion of this sequel unfolds as a musical fantasy. It features remakes of songs such as “Get Happy,” “That’s Entertainment,” and “For Once in My Life.

According to Bock, Todd Phillips had the intention of creating something entirely new, yet incorporating musical sequences into a superhero movie was likely to face resistance among typical viewers.

This weekend saw the debut of another new release from Lionsgate titled “White Bird,” which earned $1.5 million from 980 cinemas. “White Bird” is marketed as both a prequel and sequel to the surprise hit of 2017, “Wonder,” starring Jacob Tremblay. The original film kicked off with a strong $27 million and eventually grossed $132 million domestically and $314 million worldwide. Unlike “Wonder,” however, “White Bird” does not revolve around the character Auggie, played by Tremblay, but rather his middle school bully Julian, who was portrayed by Bryce Gheisar in the original film. In the present day, Julian is shunned for his treatment of Auggie, so his grandmother attempts to help him change his ways by sharing her experiences as a young Jewish girl during the Holocaust. Unfortunately, “White Bird” appears to be the seventh consecutive flop for Lionsgate, joining the likes of “Never Let Go,” “The Killer’s Game,” and “Borderlands.

The beloved family movie “The Wild Robot,” produced by DreamWorks Animation and praised by critics, took the runner-up spot at the box office, pulling in an impressive $18.7 million. Over its first fortnight on the big screen, it has amassed a total of $63.9 million in ticket sales.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the box office charts, Warner Bros.’ “Beetlejuice” sequel, Paramount’s “Transformers: One,” and Universal’s “Speak No Evil” rounded out the listings. If Warner Bros. is feeling a bit disheartened by the performance of “Joker 2,” they should be heartened by how well their “Beetlejuice” follow-up has been received. The poltergeist sequel secured third place with $10.3 million, boosting its North American earnings to a commendable $265.5 million. In fourth position, the animated “Transformers” adventure earned $5.3 million, adding to its domestic income of $47.2 million, while the remake of the Danish-Dutch horror film “Speak No Evil,” in fifth place, took home $2.8 million and lifted its U.S. total to $32.6 million.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Sony’s movie “Saturday Night,” a film about the premiere episode of SNL garnering Oscar attention, grew from five to more than 20 screening locations in its second week. For the weekend, it made $280,000 ($13,333 per location on average), bringing its total earnings to $638,000 by Sunday. The upcoming weekend will see the release of “Piece By Piece,” a biographical film about Pharrell Williams using Lego animation, and the nationwide launch of “Saturday Night.

However, it remains to be seen if “Joker 2” can pick up momentum during its second weekend, having underperformed in its initial release.

2024-10-06 18:47

Box Office: ‘Joker 2’ Stumbles With Lackluster $40 Million Debut

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