Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker 2’ delivers disappointing numbers at US Box office

"Joker: Folie à Deux", the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 hit "Joker", has struggled to meet expectations at the US box office, delivering a disappointing performance both domestically and internationally.

Despite debuting in the top spot in North America, the film earned significantly less than its predecessor, with early box office numbers raising concerns. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, opened with just US $81.1 million during its six-day opening, a sharp decline from the original "Joker", which brought in US $150.8 million in its opening weekend in 2019. 

Trade analysts initially projected a debut between US $50 million and US $65 million but later revised expectations to US $70 million. However, the actual weekend earnings fell short, totalling US $40 million in North America.

Internationally, the movie grossed US $121.1 million, a significant drop from the original's worldwide debut of US $247 million. "Joker 2" also performed worse than recent superhero films like "The Flash" and "Black Adam", which earned US $130.1 million and US $142.9 million globally in their opening weekends, respectively.

The film, which cost an estimated US $190 million to produce, has been receiving negative feedback online. Fans have expressed their disappointment with the movie's storyline and overall execution, with some blaming its poor performance on bad word-of-mouth. The movie also received a concerning D rating from CinemaScore, a clear sign that audiences were not impressed.

Directed by Todd Phillips and starring Phoenix as the Joker and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, "Joker: Folie à Deux" was released in over 70 countries on October 4. However, the film's lukewarm reception and underwhelming box office results indicate that the sequel has failed to capture the magic of the original, which became a cultural phenomenon and earned Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor.

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