Acclaimed Film Director Critiques Joker 2 Harshly

Essential Points

The sequel, Joker 2, has drawn significant backlash from both fans and filmmaker Paul Schrader, who describes it as a subpar musical.
Unlike its predecessor, Joker 2 has struggled at the box office, underperforming considerably.
Other DC sequels, including Aquaman 2 and Shazam 2, have similarly failed to capture the audience’s interest.

Joker 2 has faced stern criticism for its execution and direction under Todd Phillips. Notably, filmmaker Paul Schrader’s remarks about Joker: Folie à Deux appear to target the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga quite directly.

The reception for Joker: Folie à Deux has been lukewarm at best. While the original Joker film encountered mixed reviews, it nonetheless gathered a vast fan base and garnered prestigious awards, including an Academy Award for Phoenix’s portrayal. In stark contrast, Joker 2 has not resonated with audiences, securing a mere 33% approval rating versus the original film’s impressive 89% audience score. Acclaimed director Paul Schrader recently voiced his disapproval of Joker 2, aligning with the sentiments of disenchanted viewers.

In a conversation with Interview Magazine, Schrader, known for his work on iconic films like Martin Scorsese’s *Taxi Driver* and for directing acclaimed titles such as *Blue Collar* and *First Reformed*, admitted that he couldn’t sit through the movie. “I watched about 10 or 15 minutes before I had to leave for a while. When I returned, I ended up watching another 10 minutes. That was more than enough,”he stated. He further labeled Joker 2 as “a really bad musical,”and when asked to elaborate on his assessment, he critiqued both Phoenix and Gaga in a way that seemed quite personal:

I don’t appreciate either of those individuals. They don’t appeal to me as actors, nor do their characters. The entire project just falls flat. If they came over, I’d probably find a reason to leave.

Schrader’s critique is just one piece of the puzzle regarding Joker 2’s tumultuous journey. The original Joker film defied the critics with a staggering box office take, exceeding $1 billion globally. While not the only film to achieve such financial success, its relatively modest budget of $55–70 million made it the most lucrative comic book adaptation in history—an accolade it still holds. Conversely, Joker 2 has floundered at the box office, debuting significantly lower than its predecessor and experiencing a record-breaking 81% decline in ticket sales in its second weekend, marking a nadir for the comic book genre and major productions alike.

The digital release of Joker 2 is set for October 29, 2024, just a month after its theatrical release, providing an opportunity to recuperate some financial losses. However, the overall box office underperformance could lead to substantial losses for Warner Bros. Joker 2 isn’t alone in its disappointments; sequels like Aquaman 2 and Shazam 2 also struggled to perform as well as their initial installments. Yet, the overwhelming disappointment surrounding Joker 2 has taken many by surprise, particularly as expectations had been tempered leading up to launch.

There are numerous factors that could explain Joker 2’s critical and commercial failure. The first Joker was crafted as a standalone narrative, yet its blockbuster success prompted Warner Bros. to greenlight a sequel, regardless of whether it was truly warranted. Perhaps the ambition to recreate that magic was always an unrealistic goal.

Joker: Folie à Deux is currently screening in theaters.

Source: Interview Magazine

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