Warner Bros.’ musical gamble on Gotham’s favorite villain just reached a milestone that paints a complicated picture for the studio’s ambitious sequel.
‘Joker: Folie à Deux‘ officially crossed $200 million worldwide this weekend, scraping together $57.8 million from domestic theaters and $143.3 million internationally. The numbers dropped just as the studio announced its digital release date, October 29, if you’re marking your calendars, followed by physical media hitting shelves December 17.
Behind the scenes, industry chatter points to mounting concerns over the film’s massive $200 million budget. That’s three times what the studio shelled out for 2019’s ‘Joker‘ which famously turned its modest $65 million investment into a cool billion. This time around, adding Lady Gaga’s star power and transforming Gotham into a musical playground came with a huge price tag.
Where the original ‘Joker‘ sparked heated discourse while maintaining favorable scores across Rotten Tomatoes metrics, its successor has struggled to capture similar acclaim. The 2019 film’s controversial nature actually worked in its favor, generating sustained conversation and repeat viewings. In contrast, the sequel’s reception has veered sharply negative, with both critics and audiences expressing disappointment in the film’s dramatic tonal shift and creative direction.
Box office veterans know the drill: big-budget releases typically need twice their production costs in ticket sales before they start seeing black ink. For ‘Folie à Deux‘ that magic number hovers around $400 million, a target that’s not looking achievable for Arthur Fleck’s second visit.
