Seems there’s a good reason why Warner Bros refused to test screen Joker 2 to audiences ahead of its release; they knew they had an absolute flop on their hands. Well, either that or they were so confident/arrogant that they thought the film did not need testing.
Turns out it very much did, with Joker 2 now sitting on a dismal 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, 1/2 star on Postrack, a D on Cinemascore, and 5.3 on IMDB. Not to mention the brutal reviews on Twitter from people who loved the first movie and were expecting the sequel to be at least halfway decent:
never seen it happen before but every musical set piece this film did, more and more people kept leaving the theater. https://t.co/MmiXskloYx
— ben (@PunishedBenn) October 3, 2024
Me after watching Joker 2. They just wanted Lady Gaga to sing. The film had no plot, just vibes. I want my 3 hours back #JokerMovie pic.twitter.com/k3ydGZ0amQ
— Nine (@ninewontmiss) October 4, 2024
This is insane. Look Back almost SOLD OUT. Joker 2 almost EMPTY. Same theater. pic.twitter.com/F6Cuy0B90i
— Joey🦊 (@joeybotttt) October 6, 2024
Initially when word was out that Joker 2 would be a musical starring Lady Gaga, we said it was a terrible idea, but we kept optimistic because we thought surely they’d have something special planned if they’ve got the balls to go down such an inadvisable route. I mean, a Joker musical? Come on!
Welp, turns there was a reason why everyone and their mothers knew that turning Joker 2 into a musical was an unwise decision, because it so obviously was and the proof is now in the pudding.
In fact the reception for Joker 2 has been so bad that director Todd Phillips has now said he’s done with DC films.
The 53-year-old, who directed both Joker films, was asked by The Hollywood Reporter whether he would continue to produce films in the DC universe, but didn’t seem keen: “I feel like my time in the DC Universe was these two films.”
The budget for Joker 2 was $200 million (!), with combined salaries for Gaga and Phoenix alone at $30 million. Of course it’s come up short at the box office, banking just $40 million domestically and $80 million internationally, which is pretty embarrassing considering how much it was hyped. It was simply a huge risk and it failed miserably!
Funnily enough, Joker 2 reportedly earned an 11-minute standing ovation at the prestigious Venice Film Festival earlier this year, so it shows how much they know. Typical pretentious Hollywood a***-kissing.
For a look at the saga involving GTA VI and the real-life Florida Joker who is demanding royalties from the game, click HERE. Good luck that one pal.
