The highly anticipated sequel, ‘Joker: Folie a Deux‘, debuted in the US on Thursday, earning an estimated $7 million from preview shows.
The film, a follow-up to the Oscar-nominated ‘Joker’ (2019), is looking to secure an opening weekend box office between $45 million and $50 million, though it may struggle to match the success of its predecessor.
The original ‘Joker’ stunned the industry with a global box office haul of $1.07 billion from a modest $65 million budget.
However, ‘Folie a Deux’ with a significantly higher production cost of $200 million and has not garnered the same level of critical acclaim or good buzz. The first film earned $13.3 million in Thursday previews, leading to a $96.2 million opening weekend, setting a high bar for the sequel.
Early predictions suggest ‘Joker 2‘ may fall short of this mark, with estimates pointing to a $20 million Friday, potentially leading to a weekend gross closer to $45 million-$50 million. At the current rate, the film is being compared to ‘The Marvels‘, which opened with $6.6 million in previews, a first-day total of $21.6 million, and a disappointing $46.1 million over its opening weekend.
There are concerns that negative word-of-mouth and bad reviews pouring in on social media could result in a sharp drop in ticket sales at the box office.
The film continues the story of Arthur Fleck, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, who is perceived to be the notorious Batman villain, Joker. The sequel introduces Lady Gaga stars as Harley Quinn, Joker’s infamous partner in crime, adding a musical dimension to the film, which distinguishes it from the original’s darker, psychological tone.
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