As a die-hard fan of Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix, I must admit that I was initially thrilled at the prospect of a Joker sequel. However, after reading about the mixed reviews and subdued box office predictions for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” my excitement has been somewhat tempered.
In contrast to Todd Phillips’ 2019 film “Joker,” which earned $13.3 million during its North American preview screenings, the sequel titled “Joker: Folie à Deux” began with a take of $7 million.
According to recent predictions, the Warner Bros. film might earn between $50 million and $60 million in domestic sales when it’s released, which is less than initially anticipated as it was previously expected to make around $70 million. To put this into perspective, in 2019, the film Joker opened with an impressive $96.2 million and went on to amass a staggering worldwide total of $1 billion.
Phillips’ controversial, adult-rated sequel – met with divided opinions upon its debut at the Venice Film Festival – is an unconventional, rhythmic follow-up that ventures beyond the familiar boundaries of conventional comic book movies, catering to a broader audience.
Initially, both Phillips and Phoenix had their doubts about creating a sequel. For a while, they even considered producing a Broadway play as an alternative. However, in the end, they decided to stick with making a movie.
In contrast to how 2019’s Joker drew parallels with Martin Scorsese’s earlier films, its sequel, Folie à Deux, is a more leisurely exploration delving into the inner worlds of its main characters. The movie has been lauded for its visual elegance, acting, and technical aspects, but some critics have noted issues with its storyline. David Rooney, chief film critic for The Hollywood Reporter, commented from Venice that “for a film running two-and-a-quarter hours, Folie à Deux feels somewhat sparse narratively and at times rather uneventful.
Despite any lackluster ticket sales, the film is predicted to make a strong impact in the competition for the Oscars.
Worldwide, the sequel to “Joker,” titled “Joker 2,” is set to open everywhere this weekend, with the exceptions of Japan and China where it will be released in the upcoming weeks. Warner Bros. is anticipating a foreign box office debut between $80 million to $85 million.
In “Foil to Two,” Phillips once again collaborates with Phoenix, who reprises his acclaimed role as the Joker, having won an Oscar for Best Actor for his interpretation of Arthur Fleck/Joker.
Initially, the first Joker movie cost only $55 million to produce before promotions. Following its impressive performance, the producers were granted a net budget of between $190 million and $200 million for the sequel. A portion of this was used to recruit Lady Gaga for her character, which is loosely based on Harley Quinn from the comic books; they are optimistic that she will attract female cinema-goers.
In their comic book appearances, the characters Joker and Harley are infamous for their harmful romantic connection, often symbolized by the title “Folie à Deux“, a term that signifies a shared or identical mental disorder between two individuals. The movie mainly features elaborate musical sequences involving these two characters, who initially cross paths when the Joker is confined in Arkham Asylum following his actions from the previous film. However, neither Warner Bros. nor director Phillips are keen on labeling it as a conventional musical, since only two characters sing, unlike traditional musicals that involve numerous participants in song and dance numbers.
The marketing strategy for the studio has avoided emphasizing the film’s multiple musical scenes, similar to their approach when promoting the musical film “Wonka“. It seems that Warner Bros. isn’t unique in this, as Paramount also didn’t advertise “Mean Girls” as a musical production.
Regardless of one’s perspective, it’s clear that director Phillips acknowledges that the upcoming film deviates from the usual path, as it doesn’t strictly adhere to the ending of Joker, where Arthur accepts his alternate persona. At the Los Angeles premiere on Monday, Phillips expressed gratitude towards the studio for their daring move, stating, “it is not the sequel you might anticipate.
More to come.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-04 18:24