Additional Coverage:
Despite the star power of Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, the “Joker” sequel, “Folie à Deux,” is struggling to impress audiences. The film earned only $20 million at the domestic box office on its opening day, a disappointing result considering its $200 million budget.
Critics have given the film a “D” grade on CinemaScore, the lowest ever for a comic book movie. Rotten Tomatoes scores are equally unimpressive, with a critic score of 32% and an audience score of 31%.
Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his performance in the first “Joker” film, but the sequel’s blend of love story and musical elements seems to have fallen flat. Online reviews are overwhelmingly negative.
Projections for the opening weekend box office are below $50 million, a significant drop from the $65 million budget of the original film. It remains to be seen whether the sequel can recover its costs.