As a film enthusiast who has been following the cinematic journey of Joaquin Phoenix for quite some time now, I must say that my anticipation for “Joker: Folie à Deux” is reaching new heights. The critics’ lukewarm reception at Venice International Film Festival doesn’t faze me one bit, as history has shown us that audience approval can often outshine the opinions of the critics.
Critics can complain all they want, but those lukewarm reviews coming out of the 81st Venice International Film Festival aren’t going to derail Joker: Folie à Deux’s $100-million money train over the sequel’s opening weekend. The Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga-led DC villain flick currently registers 61% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is still forecast to make between $115 million and $145 million domestically during its debut this October, according to Boxoffice Pro.
If the prediction proves accurate, whether it’s at the higher or lower end of the projected figures, the sequel to “Joker”, titled “Joker: Folie à Deux“, seems poised to surpass the box office success of Todd Phillips’ original “Joker” film from 2019. Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck on the big screen in 2015 narrowly fell short of reaching the $100-million milestone during its initial release, earning $96.2 million (as reported by Box Office Mojo).
Indeed, it’s an impressive accomplishment given that the film “Joker” was made for just $55 million. In less than a week at the box office, the movie about Batman’s arch-nemesis more than doubled its production costs in profits, and this figure doesn’t even account for its earnings overseas.
In addition, the film collaboration between Phoenix and Phillips in 2019 was successful despite not impressing the critics. Notably, Joker received a slightly higher approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, currently standing at 69% on the Tomatometer. However, it was the fans who made Joker a massive box office hit.
Will Folie à Deux Live Up to Joker?
In the end, it’s the audience for the film “Joker: Folie à Deux” who will ultimately decide its fate. Similar to the original movie, the Rotten Tomatoes score for “Joker 2” isn’t particularly impressive. However, Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Arthur Fleck was well-received by fans in the first installment. As of now, the “Joker” film has an 89% rating on Popcornmeter with over 50,000 verified ratings and a “B+” CinemaScore. But will “Folie à Deux” maintain its success at the box office and garner the same level of acclaim in awards circles as the 2019 movie did?
The sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” faces significant financial expectations to match the success of its predecessor, “Joker.” Directed by Todd Phillips, the original film was a massive hit worldwide and grossed an impressive $1.078 billion in total. Domestically, it made $335.5 million at the box office, but it truly excelled internationally with an astounding $743.5 million. Consequently, “Joker” became the highest-grossing R-rated film globally. However, this summer, “Deadpool & Wolverine” took over that title with earnings of $1.266 billion.
Regarding major awards competitions, we’ll all have to stay tuned for the results. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that “Joker” and its upcoming sequel, “Folie à Deux,” have garnered significant recognition at the Venice Film Festival. The original 2019 film was met with an impressive eight-minute standing ovation during its Italian premiere, while “Folie à Deux” received a resounding 11-minute applause (video available below). Interestingly, Joaquin Phoenix left the screening before the applause subsided in the theater.
The challenge that “Folie à Deux” might face is living up to the numerous Oscar accolades that the “Joker” film received. Directed by Phillips, the Batman villain’s portrayal was nominated for a grand total of 11 Academy Awards, with Best Picture among them. The movie eventually won two awards: one for Phoenix’s outstanding performance as the main character, and another for Hildur Guðnadóttir’s exceptional work in the Original Score category. Despite this, fans of DC Comics characters should be captivated by the musical chaos that Phoenix and Lady Gaga will bring to the screen in the upcoming sequel.
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2024-09-06 22:31