Joker: Folie À Deux is heading to streaming, just weeks after its theatrical release.
The movie, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, will be available to rent from home starting October 29, in an effort to recoup some of Warner Bros.
investment into the film, as per Variety.
The musical, which bombed at the box office, is 'poised to lose at least $150 million to $200 million in its theatrical run' according to the publication.
The movie studio spent about $200 million to produce the
film and about $100 million on marketing and distribution, according to the report.
It would need to gross about $450 million at the box office to
break even — when factoring in the cut taken by theaters — though Warner Bros.
sources claim the number is $375 million.
Joker: Folie À Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, is
heading to streaming, just weeks after its theatrical release; Phoenix and Gaga seen in a still
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A Warner Bros. spokesperson responded to the report, saying 'Any
estimates suggested by anonymous "insiders" or
"rival executives" are grossly wrong and continues a trend where rumor
is reported as fact.'
'The film continues to play in theatrical release, included
with this week's opening in China, and will continue
to earn revenue throughout its home viewing and ancillary run.'
So far, the musical about Batman's nemesis has grossed $51.5
million domestically and $165 million globally after two weeks of release.
In comparison, the first Joker grossed $96.2 million domestically and
$248.4 million globally after three days of release.
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the 2019 billion dollar Oscar-winning film
was considered a surefire hit for Warner
Bros Pictures, yet ended up being slammed by critics and failed
to ignite at the box office.
Joker: Folie À Deux has garnered the lowest CinemaScore in comic
book movie history as the film bombed at the box office
on opening night.
The psychological musical thriller — which has been criticized as 'bleak'
and 'disappointing' — officially released in theaters on Friday, October 4.
Phoenix reprised his role as the Joker in the sequel, which had earned him
an Oscar for his portrayal in the 2019 film, while Gaga
took on the role of Harleen Lee Quinzel (Harley Quinn).
However, Joker: Folie À Deux has been given a D rating on CinemaScore — the lowest score for a comic book movie.
The movie will be available to rent from home starting October 29, in an effort to recoup some of Warner Bros.
investment into the film, according to Variety
The film is 'poised to lose at least $150 million to $200 million in its theatrical run' according to the publication
The sequel to the 2019 billion dollar Oscar-winning film was
considered a surefire hit for Warner Bros, yet ended up being slammed
by critics and failed to ignite at the box office
Phoenix reprised his role as the Joker in the sequel, which
had earned him an Oscar for his portrayal in the 2019 film, while Gaga took on the role of Harleen Lee Quinzel (Harley
Quinn)
Madame Web — which notably also flopped in theaters earlier this year and also received terrible reviews — holds a higher
score with a C+.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently holds an audience
score of 31% and a critic score of 32%.
The sequel has been roundly criticized for being a musical and 'ignoring' the
DC fanbase - with an agent familiar with director
Todd Phillips' process telling Variety he 'wanted nothing to do with DC'
during the making of the film, with DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran notably absent
from the film's LA premiere afterparty last month.
A source said: 'If the first movie was about
some down-on-his-luck, mentally ill guy in a downtrodden city, it makes maybe
$150 [million] worldwide. Not a billion. People showed up
because that guy was Joker.'
In an apparent snub by Phillips, the opening sequence of the film does not include a DC Studios logo.
A Warner spokesman added that a DC logo appears at the
end of the Joker sequel, while Phillips declined to comment to the publication.
Several frictions are said to have developed between Phillips, DC and Warner- with claims that Michael DeLuca, Chairperson of
Warner Bros. Entertainment, and CEO Pamela Abdy seemed 'unwilling'
to say no to Phillips due to his huge past successes.
It is claimed Phillips would 'only' speak with DeLuca
and Abdy rather than Gunn and Safran - who took control of DC two months before production began on Joker 2
in December 2022.
Gunn and Safran did attend the first director's cut screening for the studio but Phillips fueled rift speculation when he told a reporter: 'With all due respect to them, this is kind of a Warner Bros.
movie.'
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav also met with Phillips shortly after WarnerMedia and
Discovery merged in April 2022 and was 'open to filming in Los Angeles if the director would make the sequel
at a lower price point.'
The studio wanted to film in London which would have cost around 20 per cent less.
A source directly involved with the film recently shared: 'The one
thing about genre stuff: If you don't listen and pay attention to what the fan expectations are, you're going to fail'; director Todd Phillips seen with Gaga and Phoenix at
the LA premiere September 30
However, Phillips insisted on filming in LA with the budget remaining static.
A Warner spokesman told the publication the studio 'supported the
decision to film in Los Angeles'.
A source directly involved with the film said: 'No one
could get through to Todd. And the one thing about genre stuff: If you don't listen and pay attention to what the fan expectations are, you're going
to fail.
Insiders also claim studio bosses did not want to premiere the film at the Venice Film Festival, but Phillips pushed back - with a
Warner spokesman saying the studio 'fully supported the decision to bring the film to Venice.
Along with Gaga and Phoenix, other stars that had
appeared in the sequel include Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beatz and Steve Coogan.
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