Joker: Folie à Deux has some very big clown shoes to fill in after the success of the first Joker movie. With a budget soaring to a reported three digits, expectations for the highly anticipated sequel have grown higher like never before. In this latest installment of the dark and dangerous jokester, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is now institutionalized. But even in the halls of Arkham State Hospital, Arthur can find love in the equally chaotic Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). With the two paired up and joined to the hip, the duo sing their hearts out in the spirit of shared madness and twisted love. You know what they say, “Great minds think alike.”
But as the box office results come in, the film’s financial future is looking shaky. In this budget and box office breakdown, we’ll explore how all that money went, and how the movie compares to not just the original global hit, but other current releases in theaters. Without further ado, check out the Joker: Folie à Deux budget and box office breakdown below.
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Budget for 'Joker: Folie à Deux' By Department
Joker: Folie à Deux is reported to have a total budget of $190 to $200 million, almost three times the original budget for the first Joker movie. Check out how part of that total budget is used in the film.
Actors
According to Variety, Phoenix brought home an estimated $20 million to take on the role of the Joker once again, while Gaga has a paycheck of $12 million to star as Harley Quinn. At the moment, Phoenix’s net worth amounts up to $80 million. Meanwhile, Gaga, who’s ventured into singing, acting, and even starting her own makeup line, has a massive net worth of $300 million.
Visual Effects
Handling the film’s visual effects are Industrial Light & Magic, the same company that did the effects for the 2024 summer hits Twisters ($155 to $200 million budget) and Deadpool & Wolverine ($200 million budget). While the exact number for Folie à Deux’s visual effects isn’t made to the public, considering Industrial’s prestigious clientele, and the whopping almost $200 million budget, it’s possible to speculate that the spending for this department isn’t cheap.
At the moment, the marketing costs for Joker: Folie à Deux have yet to be disclosed to the public. However, Folie à Deux has the legacy of the original Joker movie to rely on to push out the sequel to the public. Since the movie is taking on a more musical approach, what better to promote a film than by tapping into your thirteen Grammy-winning actors' singing abilities and superstardom.
Lady Gaga’s Superstardom
The ultimate triple threat, Gaga’s long-enduring career is all thanks to the loyal fan following she’s built since her “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance” days. Breaking into the music industry with her could-care-less attitude and shocking fashion choices (e.g. the infamous meat dress), Gaga later on proves that she’s no one-hit wonder. With a strong theatrical background, Gaga has expanded her horizons beyond pop, and even dipped her toes into acting with House of Gucci and A Star Is Born - the latter earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Song. This time, she’s putting her own spin on Harley Quinn.
With the movie’s musical-leaning shift, Gaga can be seen churning out classic tunes like the classic song, “We’re a Couple of Swells”, from the 1948 film Easter Parade. Audiences can also watch her deliver a big band duet with Phoenix, singing “Gonna Build A Mountain” and crooning a stirring rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life”.
How Much Did 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Need to Make at the Box Office to Break Even?
For Joker: Folie à Deux to even make a profit, the movie needs to pull in about two to two-and-a-half times its hefty production budget, which reportedly sits between $190 and $200 million. That means this sequel needs to score around $380 to $500 million just to break even - a tall order considering the original Joker cost only $70 million to make. In other words, Folie à Deux is playing in the big leagues now, with triple the budget of its predecessor and some serious ground to cover before it can call itself a financial success.
How is 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Doing at the Box Office?
Joker: Folie à Deux has stumbled out of the gate at the box office, proving that even a sequel featuring arguably the most iconic face in DC and starring the hottest names in Hollywood isn’t immune to the power of bad press. The film opened with a disappointing $37.8 million domestically, falling short of initial estimates of $50 million, and miles behind the original Joker’s $96 million debut. For context, the first Joker eventually soared to $335 million domestically, soaring past $1 billion worldwide.
Internationally, Folie à Deux did slightly better, raking in $81 million from foreign markets, bringing its global total to $121 million. While these numbers are not disastrous, they pale in comparison to the monumental success of the first film. IMAX screenings were also a saving grace, contributing a modest $10 million globally. However, it is still a far cry from what was expected for a film whose predecessor generated the big One B.
How Does 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Compare to Current Releases?
While the dark Joker: Folie à Deux struggles to fulfill audience expectations, its family-friendly competition The Wild Robot is swooping in with a global box office milestone of $100 million. The brainchild of DreamWorks Animation, the positive news of the animated movie spread like wildfire, particularly on social media platforms like Twitter. Meanwhile, Tim Burton’s beloved sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, currently in its fifth week, remains a crowd favorite, bringing in another $10 million, pushing its domestic total to $265 million.
But Joker: Folie à Deux isn’t the only movie bombing in cinemas. Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious juggernaut of a passion project, Megalopolis is at a depressingly all-time low in terms of its finances. The movie, which was almost 50 years in the making, had a total budget of $120 million - all of which came from Coppola's pocket alone. Unfortunately, it failed to make even the smallest scratch from its total spending. At the time of writing, Megalopolis currently stands at just $9.4 million at the box office. The movie opened to an estimated $4 million in its first weekend. Just $600,000 shy away from breaking into the $10 million mark, a feat that was originally considered impossible for the Coppola flop, Megalopolis’ cult status (and Internet memes) might just give audiences the push to watch it during the rest of its theatrical run.
Why Did 'Joker: Folie à Deux’ Perform Badly in the Box Office?
Joker: Folie à Deux failed to make a positive impression in cinemas due to a combination of bad buzz, creative missteps, and simply because of the odd shift to the musical genre that doesn’t resonate with its intended audience. The film tanked with a dismal D CinemaScore, a death knell for any major release, especially one that is overshadowed by the towering expectations set by its predecessor. The unfamiliar choice of musical pieces, coupled with negative internet discourse, factors into its dramatically negative reactions throughout its theatrical run.
As a comparison, the first Joker succeeded because of its emphasis on Joker’s character alone. It was a straight-up gritty, intense drama, drawing in audiences curious enough to watch Joker’s origin story and horrify them with his saddening psychological transformation. Thematically, it was simple - the movie found its footing thanks to the power of Phoenix’s powerful performance. There was no need to pull out creative choices to amp up the eccentricity of the film - the Joker himself was already wild enough. Folie à Deux was an unnatural mix of courtroom drama and stage pieces that felt disjointed, throwing fans off course from the original. Although sequels tend to perform better thanks to the legacy of the first film, this one couldn’t stand strong despite being part of an iconic franchise.
Financially wise, this doesn’t seem to impact Phoenix’s career. Aside from Folie à Deux, Phoenix has experienced a couple of bombs here and there throughout his career, including Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid ($11 million globally), and two of Paul Thomas Anderson’s movies - The Master ($29 million) and Inherent Vice ($14 million). Meanwhile, thanks to the first Joker movie and box office hits like M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village ($250 million) and Ridley Scott’s Napoleon ($220 million), Phoenix’s career box office is currently at a whopping $3.2 billion.
Joker: Folie a Deux
R
Joker: Folie à Deux explores Arthur Fleck's ongoing struggle with his dual identity as he unexpectedly discovers love and unleashes his hidden musical talent. Set against a backdrop of societal unrest, Arthur's journey intertwines personal transformation with chaotic encounters, leading to profound shifts in his life and the world around him.
- Release Date
- October 4, 2024
- Director
- Todd Phillips
- Cast
- Joaquin Phoenix , Lady Gaga , Brendan Gleeson , Catherine Keener , Zazie Beetz , Steve Coogan , Harry Lawtey , Leigh Gill , Jacob Lofland , Sharon Washington , Troy Fromin , Bill Smitrovich , John Lacy , Ken Leung
- Runtime
- 138 Minutes
- Main Genre
- Drama
