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Paradise is a sci-fi political conspiracy thriller series created by Dan Fogelman. The Hulu series is set in an idyllic community housing some of the most important people in the world, and it follows Special Agent Xavier Collins after the President of the United States is murdered. Paradise stars Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Aliyah Mastin, Percy Daggs IV, and James Marsden. So, if you loved the political intrigue, genre-blending plot, and compelling characters in Paradise, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Salvation (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – CBS

Salvation is a sci-fi mystery thriller drama series created by Liz Kruger, Craig Shapiro, and Matt Wheeler. The CBS series follows a group of people as they discover that an asteroid will hit the Earth in six months and destroy the planet.

Since the days of cinema classics like Ben-Hur, fantasy movies have set the benchmark for quality, high-budget entertainment, as can be seen in iconic franchises like The Lord of the Rings. From focusing on heroes embarking on epic quests to reimaginings of beloved fairy tales, the 1990s gave audiences some of the most enjoyable entries in the genre, though with an emphasis on smaller budgets, comedy, and animation.

The 1990s saw something of a slump in fantasy cinema, as the '80s had no shortage of campy flops in the genre, but still remains a great decade for family-oriented adventure. From worlds populated by knights and dragons to reboots of classic Universal Monsters, the decade is practically synonymous with adventure. With many of these movies still household names for fantasy fans, it's worth remembering some of the best the '90s had to offer.

The Phantom Revived A 1930s Comic...

The Golden Globes were the first award event of 2025 and celebrities put on their best clothes and hoped to hear their names in the categories they were nominated for. Celebrating the best in TV and film, the ceremony had comedian Nikki Glaser as this year's host, and she also addressed Joker: Folie à Deux.

As she started her 10-minute opening monologue, the comedian acknowledged some of the film and TV stars attending the ceremony. She praised Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, and Colin Farrell for their range in both TV and films, as well as Eddie Redmayne joining TV shows with The Day of the Jackal. As she moved on to talk about films, she also addressed the critically acclaimed musical Wicked, while also making fun of the critically panned Joker: Folie à Deux.

"I did not know a lot about Wicked going into this because I had friends in high school,...

The most influential movies today are based on superhero comics. However, before the era of caped and costumed heroes, there was the age of pulp magazines. Popular until the 1950s, these magazines featured a wide range of heroes, from adventurers to noir detectives to horror protagonists. Pulp heroes were, in many ways, the precursors to modern superheroes.

After the success of Tim Burton’s Batman, an influx of pulp-inspired movies emerged in the 1990s. This era appealed to an older generation nostalgic for simpler heroes, while also embracing the stylish aesthetics of the 1930s and 1940s. Pulp-inspired movies were simpler, less flashy, and often cheesier than today’s superhero blockbusters, yet they retained a unique charm.

The Phantom was Arguably the First Superhero

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2019's Joker was a huge success, a film that combined superhero lore with a modern discussion about mental health. However, the highly-anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, wasn't the hit everyone expected, but it has finally found success on streaming.

The sequel brought back the original team made up of director Todd Phillips and lead actor Joaquin Phoenix, adding Lady Gaga to the mix as Harley "Lee" Quinzel. Following its Oct. 4, the movie was plagued with negative reviews, leading to one of the most disappointing box office grosses of the year. However, according to FlixPatrol, Joker: Folie à Deux has finally found success on streaming, currently topping the charts.

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Marketing for James Gunn's Superman has officially begun, with DC Studios dropping the first poster and teaser for the hotly-anticipated Dcu movie.

The Joker sequel made its way on streaming on Dec.

Joker: Folie a Deux's global box office returns spell out huge losses for Warner Bros., according to recently released figures. The musical film, which starred Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, is now infamous due to its divisive reception with most audiences and critics giving it low marks, with the exception of some industry figures such as Quentin Tarantino.

After a couple of months in theaters, Joker 2 grossed $206 million globally against a $200 million budget. Factoring in advertising, the film will likely be a $150 million loss for Warner Bros., which was a massive shock following the first movie's $1 billion haul. This news hits just before Joker 2 is slated to debut on Max on December 13 and HBO the following night at 8 pm Est.

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Joker: Folie a Deux 7/10

Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips'...

Many movie enthusiasts clearly didn't take Joker: Folie à Deux seriously and the comic book sequel's box-office returns have proved that. The final numbers are in for the film, with Warner Bros. and DC Studios finding its overall tally to be no laughing matter.

Via ComicBookMovie.com, the Joker sequel has ended its run in cinemas with a worldwide box office gross of $206 million, barely making back its $200 million budget (not including marketing costs). The film didn't even make one-fifth of what the original Joker, the second highest-grossing R-rated movie in history ($1.078 billion worldwide), made following its 2019 premiere.

Related Are The Batman and Joker Part of the Same Movie Universe?

After The Batman, many fans are wondering if Robert Pattinson will face off against Joaquin Phoenix's Joker in a future crossover.

Folie à Deux stood little chance of matching what Joker achieved commercially amid skepticism regarding its creative direction,...

As 2024 winds to a close, film fans and critics alike begin to assemble their best of the year lists. And what list would be complete without at least one surprising entry, a film that sticks out like a sore thumb from its brethren. That's certainly the case with John Waters, the Pope of Trash himself and the creator of such gloriously quirky and even disgusting cinematic experiences, like Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, and Serial Mom.

The filmmaker released his annual top 10 list via Vulture, and amid some of the more expected titles, coming in at number six is Todd Phillips' much-maligned musical sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. It's not impossible, but the likelihood the vehicle for Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga will make many any other best-of lists this year is pretty slim. It boasts both a 32% critics and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with Glenn Kenney of RogerEbert.com saying...

Despite following up on the record-breaking original film, Joker: Folie à Deux failed to recapture the magic that enthralled audiences the first time around. From its musical elements to the unsavory ending that some fans despise, Joker 2 was a pressure cooker of a project that subverted everyone's expectations, for better or worse. The DC sequel starred Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in one of the more star-studded affairs of 2024 that will now find a new home on streaming later this month.

Warner Bros. announced that Joker: Folie à Deux will be streaming exclusively on Max starting Friday, December 13. Then it will air on HBO on Saturday night, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. Est. The news arrives after the film grossed $200 million worldwide, well shy of the $1 billion the first Joker amassed in 2019. The disappointing box office news has cemented it as one of the most shocking flops in recent memory,...

2019's Joker was hailed a masterpiece, winning an Oscar for leading actor Joaquin Phoenix and grossing $1 billion at the box office. Its sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, was not well received and two months after its premiere, the second installment has already set a streaming date.

Joker: Folie à Deux will make its global streaming debut on December 13 on Max, Warner Bros. officially confirmed. The film will debut on HBO the next day on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 8:00 p.m. E.T. Its release date comes just two months after its Oct. 4 premiere in theaters, where it was a major disappointment.

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Adding Lady Gaga as a new version of Harley Quinn named meets Harleen "Lee" Quinzel,...

“Joker: Folie à Deux,” Todd Phillips’ sequel to the Oscar-winning film starring Joaquin Phoenix, will be available to stream on Max on Dec. 13. It will debut on HBO linear on Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. Et.

The divisive film grossed $206 million at the global box office, including $58 million in North America. It cost $200 million to produce and is expected to lose at least $150 million to $200 million in its theatrical run.

Variety‘s chief film critic Peter Debruge called “Folie à Deux” a “scandalously unpopular sequel” and wrote that this time around, it “feels like ‘Joker’ hates us — or, more to the point, it’s as if Phillips turned on his original audience.”

“Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital,” reads the film’s logline.

Lady Gaga stars in “Folie à Deux” as Harley Quinn alongside Phoenix’s Joker.

Some movies seem like a slam dunk for studios. Long-awaited sequels, superhero films, summer blockbusters, Disney animation, and biopics all seem like they will see big box office returns. Millions of dollars are invested in these highly-anticipated movies, but unfortunately, all that money doesn't stop some of them from falling completely flat.

Box office predictions aren't always accurate. These highly-anticipated movies were supposed to be goldmines, but they ended up failing to live up to expectations. Each film on this list either underwhelmed with poor reviews or didn't earn back its budget during its theatrical run.

Viewers Were Unimpressed by Joker: Folie Deux Release Year: 2024

Budget

$200 million

Box Office Earnings

$58 million

Rotten Tomatoes Score

32%

Comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is back for another show in Joker: Folie Deux. While incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital, the deadly jokester meets the love of his life, a fellow patient named Harleen "Lee" Quinzel...

As Warner Bros. deals with the heavy ramifications of Joker: Folie Deux's undeniable failure, one of the studio's bosses acknowledges that the blockbuster sequel's fate is no laughing matter. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav offers his thoughts on the widely derided comic book movie.

During a Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call, Zaslav bemoaned the "inconsistency" of the company film's business after a string of hits and misses at the box office in 2024. Zaslav conceded that the Joker sequel's results have been "disappointing," as Warner Bros. deals with the financial ramifications. "Inconsistency also remains an issue at our motion picture studio, as reinforced recently by the disappointing results of Joker 2," Zaslav said.

Related Joaquin Phoenix Recalls Meeting Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight's Joker Role

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Zaslav isn't the first Warner Bros.

Joker: Folie Deux continues to be a laughingstock as its reputation takes another hit following its much-talked-about box-office disaster. The panned comic book film struggles to find its footing via Premium Video-On-Demand (PVOD) one week after debuting on the platform.

Per Collider, Folie Deux is fourth in its debut week on the iTunes charts, which focus on transactions, trailing the horror drama The Substance in third. Meanwhile, the Joker sequel also placed fourth on the Fandango charts, which rank films based on revenue. Another Warner Bros. title, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, tops both charts in its fourth week.

Related Joker 2 Director Offers Advice for Movie Theaters After the DC Sequel's Record-Setting Flop

Joker: Folie Deux director Todd Phillips has one big recommendation for movie theaters to increase turnout.

Since premiering in cinemas on Oct 4, Folie Deux has been widely derided by critics and audiences as one of the worst sequels in recent memory.

Todd Phillips, the director of Joker: Folie Deux, has gone on record to say movie theaters should stop showing commercials before the movie begins. While it isnt exactly an incendiary statement (he certainly won't be the first to claim cinemas show too many ads), one can't help but note that Phillips remarks come in the aftermath of Joker 2s poor performance at the box office. Its been one of the loudest flops of the year.

A number of filmmakers participated in a poll for Empire in which they gave their opinion about the modern moviegoing experience. Most expressed their support for attending the theaters, regardless of the offer by streamers. The report includes other figures like George Miller, Paul Feig, Adam Wingard and Sean Baker, and they each had their own point to make. Nevertheless, it was Phillips who decided to be blunt about modern theaters and their advertising space:...

Joker: Folie Deux has something to smile about during its dismal box office run, at least a little bit. The widely panned comic book movie reaches its last major financial milestone before it hits the digital market.

Per ComicBook.com, Folie Deux crossed the $200 million mark worldwide this past weekend, with the Joker sequel making $201.1 million at the time of writing. However, the movie has yet to make $60 million domestically, with the $600,000 it made across North American cinemas taking that tally to a disappointing $57.8 million. Folie Deux was kicked out of thousands of cinemas heading into last weekend, with the film failing to make the top 10 box-office chart.

Related The Penguin Showrunner Explains Joker & Harley Quinn's Absence in Arkham Asylum

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Though Folie Deux's latest feat means the movie made back its declared $200 million budget,...

Despite a collapse at the box office, Joker: Folie a Deux just crossed a major milestone worldwide. As the sequel to the divisive $1 billion Joker movie, Folie a Deux has received extremely negative reviews and has become a severe financial disappointment. The movie reportedly has a $190 million budget, which far exceeds the original's $65 million, and added Lady Gaga to the cast as Harley Quinn. It was released on October 4.

After three weeks, Joker 2 has finally crossed the $200 million milestone at the worldwide box office, according to a report by The Numbers. The results were a disappointing total for the sequel, which has earned just $57.8 million domestically and $143.3 million internationally. Surprisingly, this news comes just days after it was announced that the movie would be available digitally on October 29. 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, and DVD copies will be available starting on December 17.

Developing...

Source: The Numbers

Joker: Folie a Deux 7/10

Joker:...

A creative fan-made two-minute Lego video has given DC fans the chance to see a retelling of the entire plot of Joker: Folie a Deux without needing to sit through the heavily panned box office bomb. The highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 hit Joker failed to capture the magic of the original film when it arrived in cinemas at the beginning of the month, but this humorously condensed short manages to do the impossible and turn the movie into something worth watching.

Summarizing key events, character arcs, and plotlines of the Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga-starring movie in a runtime that is only a fraction of the Todd Phillips film, the stop-motion video puts a lighthearted spin on the dark and dreary story of Arthur Fleck. While the film may have disappointed the vast majority of critics and audiences, this fan take on the story is still worth checking out,...

Joker: Folie Deux is set to end its already embarrassing box-office run on a whimper. The derided Joker sequel gets laughed out of thousands of theaters as it nears its digital release.

According to Collider, Folie Deux will lose screens during its fourth weekend in cinemas thanks to the debut of Sony's Venom: The Last Dance, which is expected to exceed box-office expectations during its debut. After playing at 2,800 theaters in North America last weekend, the Joker follow-up will only show in 1,200 locations this coming weekend, one of the biggest dropoffs for a comic book movie ever. Jonah Hex and The Crow remake suffered worse fates, getting taken out of 2,400 theaters during their third weekends.

Related 'Gotham's Done That Before': Batman Actor Gives Verdict on Polarizing Joker 2 Ending

A former Batman series star pans the ending of Joker: Folie Deux, though he offers some good feedback for the widely panned comic book film.

The current state of the movie industry shows that sequels are all the rage at the box office. The majority of the highest-grossing movies of 2024 so far have been sequels, having incredible opening weekends and heavily persuading people to go to the theaters to see them. Usually, sequels manage to out-gross their predecessors, and the opening weekend is crucial to their overall intake.

However, as seen recently with Joker: Folie Deux, not every sequel to a blockbuster sensation will have the same commercial success. This particular sequel's inability to earn a solid opening weekend made major headlines, and it's been going downhill ever since. It wasn't the first time a sequel bombed on its opening weekend, as various superhero films and continuations of memorable blockbusters met a similar fate.

Joker: Folie Deux is On Track to Become a Financial Bomb

Film

Opening Weekend

Budget

Joker

$96,202,337

$55,000,000

Joker: Folie Deux

$37,678,467

$200,000,000

The...

Joker: Folie Deux is the long-awaited sequel to 2019's Joker. The first film, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role, was a success, scoring 89% on Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter, and grossing over $1 billion worldwide. Given the success of its predecessor, it was only expected that Joker: Folie Deux would follow in the same footsteps. However, the sequel, which was released on October 4, 2024, has taken a rather sour turn and looks on its way to becoming a box office bomb.

The sequel sees Arthur Fleck incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital and awaiting trial for the crimes he committed two years prior. While in hospital, Arthur meets and falls in love with Harley "Lee" Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. Already in constant flux about his identity, Arthur's new love would prefer him to own his identity as Joker, while his lawyer hopes to argue that Arthur has dissociative identity disorder and that the...

Quick Links Todd and Joaquin's Joker, Take Two The Golden Age of Movie Soundtracks Capturing the Essense of One of Comic's Greatest Settings

It's an understatement to point out that Joker: Folie Deux hasn't quite yielded the critical or fan reaction that the cast and crew were anticipating. We'll leave the teeth-gnashing and bitter diatribes for the WB accountants and DC purists. One common complaint surrounding the sequel lies in the music department. From opening night, the box-office dud has been pelted with caustic remarks and perplexed sighs from onlookers speculating on what on earth drove Todd Phillips to swap his gritty, '70s-cinema homages for a musical revue with show tunes. Birthed from a dream, the main actor lobbied to drastically alter the franchise seemingly on a whim. Don't laugh; it's keeping with tradition.

The flicks may not always be worth remembering, but at least they left behind some great songs.

Instead of having Warner Bros. executives laughing their way to the bank, Joker: Folie Deux looks set to land the prominent studio in a serious hole. A new report confirms the financial losses the sequel is set to trigger following its box-office bomb.

According to Variety, Folie Deux is set to cost Warner Bros. a fortune, with the sequel now projected to make $65 million domestically and earn between $210 million and $215 million worldwide when its box-office run ends. Considering the Joker follow-up's budget is $200 million, not including the roughly $100 million spent on marketing and distribution, the movie is expected to lose Warner Bros. between $150 million and $200 million following its disastrous run in cinemas, according to insiders and rival executives.

Related Joker 2's Digital Release Date Revealed Following Box Office Failure

Joker: Folie Deux will try to make up for lost profits at the box office by coming to Digital much earlier than expected.

The need for a sequel to 2019's Joker was always questioned ahead of the release of the sequel, Joker: Folie Deux, yet Warner Bros. Discovery had faith in the second installment following the success of the original. Unfortunately, the sequel failed to land, and it's free-falling at the box office less than two weeks since its premiere.

Bombed by negative reviews, Taxi Driver writer Paul Schrader is the latest person to criticize the sequel. Schrader revealed during an interview with Jeremy O. Harris for Interview Magazine that he went to see the film, but couldn't last long, and left twice. The Academy Award-nominated writer had further criticism not only for the sequel but the lead actors, Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.

Related Warner Bros. Exec Admits Joker 2 'Didn't Land'

Warner Bros. executive Jeff Goldstein addresses Joker: Folie Deux's critical flop and early box office struggles.

Schrader explained that "I see who's coming up,...

This article contains Major Spoilers for Joker: Folie Deux.

Director Todd Phillips has been adamant that their version of Joker departed from the canon villain. The final act of Joker: Folie Deux confirmed this with the character's turnabout and devolution.

Arthur Fleck doesn't become The Joker in Joker: Folie Deux. Director Todd Phillips asserted this before the film's release, but there's still the mystery of how Arthur Fleck's story would end. The third act of the film depicts a court drama of Arthur vs. Gotham's corrupt government, and in a surprising turn, Arthur decides to confess to all the murders he committed. Phillips told IGN that the abrupt decision seemed the only way out from Arthur's end. "The only way to win is to burn it all down in Arthur's head, like just a little 'F it all,'" he said. "You know what I mean? Because you just...

Joker: Folie Deux continues to get clowned at the box office and by critics in a nightmare scenario for Warner Bros. and DC Studios. The widely-panned sequel's first week in cinemas yields an even less impressive return than the Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest financial flop, The Marvels.

Per Deadline, Folie Deux will finish its first week in theaters with a domestic gross of $44.5 million after earning $1.1 million on Oct. 10. Released on Oct. 4, the Joker sequel earned 19% less than The Marvels, which raked in $54.8 million during its first seven days, a record low for the MCU. Folie Deux's opening weekend also failed to match the Captain Marvel follow-up, with the Todd Phillips-helmed flick making $40 million compared to The Marvels' $46.5 million.

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Joker: Folie Deux

Joker: Folie Deux was originally believed to be one of the biggest sure-fire hits of 2024, as it was a sequel to a $1 billion grossing and Academy Award Best Picture nominee, Joker. With director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix returning and Lady Gaga joining the cast as fan-favorite Harley Quinn, it seemed like it couldn't possibly go wrong. Instead, the movie will likely become one of the biggest box office and critical bombs of the year. In a movie filled with controversial decisions, easily the biggest was the ending scene where Arthur Fleck is killed by an inmate, who carves his mouth with the implication he is the true Joker and not the star of the two films with Joker in their titles.

Todd Phillips has tried to defend the creative choice, citing how this was always the plan,...

Joker: Folie Deux continues to be no laughing matter for many disappointed critics and audiences. While its main stars, Joaquin Phoenix and Stefani "Lady Gaga" Germanotta, are taking the brunt of the proverbial beating, they'll at least be taking home solid paydays for their work on the derided sequel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Phoenix, who won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance as the titular character in the original Joker, nabbed a $20 million payday as soon as the sequel was agreed at Warner Bros., earning the same as director Todd Phillips. Meanwhile, Germanotta negotiated a deal to secure a $12 million payday as Harley Quinn. It's unknown if Phoenix or Germanotta will receive any box-office-related bonuses for their work.

Related 'It's Okay to Be Yourself': Joker 2's Controversial Ending Defended by Director

Joker: Folie Deux's last sequence was a fitting turnabout for Arthur Fleck.

While...

This article contains Major Spoilers for Joker: Folie Deux.

Joker: Folie Deux ended with a tragic turn, but director Todd Phillips confirmed it still left Arthur Fleck finally redeemed. The director also staged the perfect setup for that shocking twist no one saw coming.

Director Todd Phillips confirmed that Arthur Fleck has completely disowned his alter ego during Joker: Folie Deux's final scene. He told IGN that Arthur's flaw was his failure to embrace his broken self, not the villain Lee and his cult following wanted him to be. Arthur's public confession was the film's pivotal moment; he owned up to all the murders and declared that his Joker persona never even existed. That seemed the catharsis he really wanted, but Lee saw it as weakness. The subsequent scenes saw Arthur's downward spiral up until the film's final minutes.

Related Joker: Folie a Deux Reinvents Another Iconic...

The conversation about Joker: Folie Deux's critical and box-office failure continues to dominate the film industry as many people question how the anticipated sequel flopped so badly. One Warner Bros. executive weighs in on the debate, admitting the movie "didn't land" well and offers one potential reason for the disconnect.

Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Warner Bros.' President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein addressed the discourse surrounding Folie Deux following its disastrous opening weekend, falling well below domestic box office expectations. Goldstein conceded the film didn't perform how his studio hoped, admitting Todd Phillips' subversive sequel taking a "deeper dive into mental illness." Regarding the Joker sequel's performance, Goldstein said, "The movie didnt land with audiences the way we wanted it to."

Related 'Made Me Feel Confident': Joaquin Phoenix Reveals Lady Gaga's Reaction to His Joker 2 Singing

Joker: Folie Deux star Joaquin Phoenix discusses the...

Joker: Folie Deux has fallen significantly behind the original movie during its global opening weekend. The new release is a sequel to the original 2019 hit starring Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic DC Comics villain, reteaming the star with original director and co-writer Todd Phillips. After adding musical numbers and co-star Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the Joker: Folie Deux budget ballooned significantly past the original movie's reported $70 million to hit an estimated total between $190 and $200 million.

Per Deadline, as of Sunday morning, Joker: Folie Deux's opening weekend is projected to take in a 3-day total of $81.1 million in international markets. This is more than twice its projected domestic opening, which cratered well below expectations to a total between $39 and $40 million, and brings its cumulative worldwide debut to $121.1 million. This is more than $100 million lower than the global debut of the original movie, which opened to a total of $235.2 million thanks...

Joker: Folie Deux has proven to be polarizing with filmgoers, drawing in harsh reviews from critics and audiences alike. Making matters worse is the movie's box office performance.

Per Variety, Joker: Folie Deux has opened at No.1 at the box office, but that's where the good news ends. The film has pulled in $40 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office, down significantly from the movie's initial projections of up to $70 million. The return is also much lower than what the original Joker earned in 2019, dropping during the same weekend with an opening of $96.2 million. It is likely that the negative reception to the film played a big part in the turnout getting such a big hit.

Related 'Something That I've Never Done Before': Lady Gaga on Accepting Joker 2's Harley Quinn Role

Lady Gaga talks about her version of Harley Quinn in Joker Folie Deux, which is in theaters this week.

Francis Ford Coppola and Todd Phillips have both had a rough time with their singular cinematic visions recently, but it seems that while many have not had much to smile about when it comes to Joker: Folie a Deux, Coppola has surprisingly shown some love for the divisive comic book movie. Currently, Coppola is nursing a review hangover from the trashing Megalopolis has taken from both critics and audiences as well as that terrible box office opening tally so he perhaps knows exactly what Phillips is going through with his Joker sequel.

Joker: Folie Deux is set for a moderate opening weekend box office result, but its chances of real success have taken a pounding thanks to a lackluster response to the film from early audiences. It was revealed that the movie received the lowest ever CinemaScore grading for a comic book movie, which only added to the woes of...

This article contains Major Spoilers for Joker: Folie Deux.

DC fans embraced Todd Phillips' Joker despite breaking lore with its creative liberties. Joker: Folie Deux ventured further outside the canon but doubled back by suggesting the real origin of the Batman villain.

Director Todd Phillips confirmed that current DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran had no input in Joker: Folie Deux. "With all due respect to [Gunn and Safran]," he asserted during a pre-screening Q&a for the sequel, "This is kind of a Warner Brothers movie, and that's them also wanting it to be like, 'Okay, Todd did his thing. Let Todd continue to do his thing.'" Per /Film, Phillips added that the film had "started before [Gunn and Safran] even came up for it," and neither was involved in the development. This confirms Phillips' Joker films as standalone installments similar to Matt Reeves' The Batman and The Penguin TV series.

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Joker: Folie DeuxOne key scene in Joker: Folie Deux's controversial ending has been broken down by director Todd Phillips, confirming whether it played out in the twisted imagination of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). In the final moments of the sequel, after the courtroom explosion interrupts his trial, Arthur flees, reuniting with Lady Gaga's Harley on the now-iconic steps outside his old apartment building.

Speaking to EW, Phillips broke down key aspects of Joker: Folie Deux's ending, crucially explaining why Harley Quinn turns her back on Arthur when they meet. He also confirms that, despite rampant theories about which parts of the movie are actually real, that sequence is set in reality. Here's the important extract from the piece on the ending:

"[She's] realizing, Im on a whole other trip, man, you cant be what I wanted you to be," he explains. Phillips also confirms that,...

Director Todd Phillips unpacked Arthur Fleck's shocking realization at the end of Joker: Folie Deux in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly. According to Phillips, Fleck realized he never truly wanted to be the anti-institution hero he became, so he shed that false identity. The director stated:

He realized that everything is so corrupt, its never going to change, and the only way to fix it is to burn it all down. When those guards kill that kid in the [hospital] he realizes that dressing up in makeup, putting on this thing, its not changing anything. In some ways, hes accepted the fact that hes always been Arthur Fleck; hes never been this thing thats been put upon him, this idea that Gotham people put on him, that he represents. Hes an unwitting icon. This thing was placed on him, and he doesnt want to live as a fake anymore he...

The new sequel Joker: Folie Deux is not garnering the same levels of acclaim as its predecessor. Along with getting pummeled with bad reviews from both critics and audiences, the Joker sequel has set an unwanted record with its CinemaScore grade.

Following its theatrical premiere, Joker: Folie Deux has been hit with a "D" CinemaScore, per Variety. This is a substantial drop from the "B+" CinemaScore that was earned by the original Joker in 2019. Unfortunately for the sequel, it also set the new record for the lowest CinemaScore of any comic book movie. The previous low was held by Josh Trank's Fantastic Four reboot released in 2012, which was given a "C-" CinemaScore. It's also well below other more recent comic book adaptations which had infamously bombed, including Madame Web ("C+") and Morbius ("C+").

Related Joker 2's Rotten Tomatoes Scores Have Critics and Audiences in Complete Agreement

For better or for worse,...

Joker: Folie Deux has not been met with the warmest reception from critics, landing a rating that's firmly into "rotten" status on Rotten Tomatoes. What's worse for the sequel is that the audiences completely agree with what the critics are saying.

As of this writing, the Joker sequel has a score of 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is almost exactly the same, sitting at 36%. It would seem that the risky moves taken by director Todd Phillips, such as the inclusion of the controversial musical segments, have not landed well with most viewers. Some critics are referring to Joker: Folie Deux as a "mess," with Moira MacDonald of the Seattle Times noting, "Ultimately, it's a wild experiment that mostly falls flat." A People interview by Tim Gilatto even called the movie the "jukebox musical from hell."

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This review was originally published during the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

When Joker premiered here in Venice in 2019, one of the prevailing narratives was that the movie could be dangerous. The film's embrace of Arthur Fleck's perspective, the thinking went, might inspire disgruntled young men to commit acts of real-life violence. In reality, what toxicity it generated emerged as memes instead of movements, but this seems to have impacted the filmmakers enough to make Joker: Folie Deux about that very idea. This film seems targeted directly at the audience a little too into Joker and made special to antagonize them.

Joker: Folie a Deux

Director Todd PhillipsRelease Date October 4, 2024Writers Jerry Robinson, Paul Dini, Scott Silver, Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Todd Phillips, Bruce TimmCast Troy Fromin, Sharon Washington, Leigh Gill, John Lacy, Harry Lawtey, Bill Smitrovich, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Ken Leung, Joaquin Phoenix, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Jacob LoflandRating RGenres Drama,...

Joker: Folie Deux's early struggles are no laughing matter for Warner Bros. as the film's commercial and critical outlook looks bleak. Though the Todd Phillips-helmed sequel boasts a solid return in Thursday previews, the musical psychological thriller garners more pessimistic opening weekend projections and negative reviews.

Per Deadline, Folie Deux earned $7 million in Thursday previews, indicating that the film could reach as high as $50 million domestically during its first weekend at the box office. Though the preview tally is respectable, matching what Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning earned in July last year, it's far from what the original Joker generated in 2019. The first Joker film grossed $13.3 million in previews and attracted the highest-ever domestic opening weekend for a movie released in October, earning $96.2 million. Warner Bros. will hope Folie Deux exceeds its current projections, considering the sequel budget is between $190 million and $200 million.

Related 'Something That I've Never...

Joker: Folie Deuxs exact place in the DC Elseworld timeline has now been confirmed. With the amount of DC projects that have been made, it can be hard to keep track of when things take place. DCs canon timeline has become especially mixed up with James Gunn and Peter Safran's recent reboot of the DC Universe. The recasting of major heroes like Superman poses the question of which pre-reboot projects will stay canon.

One of DCs most notable projects in the past few years was Todd Phillips Joker. The 2019 film achieved huge success and recognition for the studio, so much so that it garnered a sequel. In Joker: Folie Deux, it is confirmed exactly how much time has passed between the first and second films, shedding light on the time period the movies take place in.

Joker: Folie A Deux Is Set In 1985

Joker was confirmed to have taken...

It increasingly seems like Joker: Folie Deux won't have the last laugh during its theatrical run, as the film's box-office projections further pale in comparison to the original movie. The sequel also continues to get clowned by some critics as it continues dividing opinion.

Per Deadline, Folie Deux is now set to make between $55 million and $60 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, with the sequel expected to earn $140 million worldwide through its first three days. The latest domestic projection is down from $70 million a few weeks ago and further puts Folie Deux behind what Joker made during its opening weekend, earning a record $96.2 million across North America. The predicted numbers also aren't mindblowing, considering the upcoming blockbuster costs between $190 million and $200 million to make.

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Lady Gaga talks about her...

There’s a lot of promise in the idea of a musical starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga playing the Joker and Harley Quinn, especially in the latter being portrayed as the ultimate unstable fangirl, and giving Arthur Fleck something to hope for as he goes on trial for the murders committed in Joker. Imagine what John Waters or Paul Thomas Anderson would do with that premise. Hell, we don’t even have to imagine an animated take, as Joker: Folie à Deux’s one true masterstroke of sinister, madcap joy is starting with a short recap of Arthur Fleck’s story created by The Triplets of Belleville director Sylvain Chomet.

When that short is over, though, we get the Todd Phillips version, which is largely anchored to stone-faced reality for 130-plus excruciatingly withholding minutes. In grappling with the implications of its story, Folie à Deux’s every attempt at showcasing cleverness,...

Long-range box office tracking for Joker: Folie Deux has just been released. While it doesn't look like the forthcoming DC sequel will best the opening weekend of its 2019 predecessor, it also won't be a colossal flop.

Last week, Deadline reported that the three-week tracking for the Todd Phillips-helmed DC sequel was at $70 million-plus. While that would be a record opening for a feature-length musical that's not a Disney movie (the current record holder is 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody at $51M), it would also be $26 million less than Joker's $96.2 million debut back in 2019. However, Puck's Matthew Belloni just shared on X yesterday that the tracking for Folie Deux hit "has dropped slightly from $70M last week to $68M." It seems that moviegoers are just not as interested in Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck as they were the first time around.

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A few weeks back, we caught up with the voice cast of True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak during Sdcc. The blockbuster cast included Kris Carr, Anthony Lapaglia, Don McManus, and Bill Smitrovich, and they were very excited about the project. This project is the first in a series of adaptations of Max Allan Collins’ Nathan Heller novels.

On Thursday, July 25, at the Sdcc panel, producers and special guests introduced “True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak,” a new audio drama series from co-creators Robert Meyer Burnett, Max Allan Collins, and Mike Bawden. Based on the award-winning novel “True Detective,” explores the end of Prohibition, Al Capone, the Great Depression, and the assassination of Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak. It is being produced by Imagination Connoisseurs Unlimited, LLC (ICU), with Burnett and Bawden at the helm.

True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak is a ten-episode, fully immersive audio drama...

One of the most pivotal events of Star Trek's 21st century happens right now. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episodes 11 & 12, "Past Tense", takes Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), and Lieutenant Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) back to the first week of September 2024. Dax is helped by billionaire Chris Brynner (Jim Metzler), whereas the police assume that Sisko and Bashir are part of San Francisco's unhoused population, and take them to the city's Sanctuary District, where disenfranchised residents are subject to systemic violence, inequity, and hostility. This tension leads to the historic Bell Riots, and the start of sweeping social changes.

This part of the Star Trek timeline was recently revisited in Star Trek: Picard season 2, when La Sirena's crew traveled to Los Angeles in April 2024. As a nod to Star Trek: DS9's "Past Tense", signs for Los Angeles' Sanctuary District are visible in the background of Picard's sets.

Life Goes On star Andrea Fay Friedman has died. She was 53 years old. The actor, who had Down Syndrome, passed away on Sunday, December 3, from complications due to Alzheimer’s, according to Variety. Friedman’s most notable television role was her 14-episode run on ABC drama Life Goes On in which she played Amanda Swanson. The series told the story of the all-American Thatcher family as they dealt with the struggles of life and love in the Midwest suburbs. Created by Michael Braverman, the show ran from 1989 to 1993 and Friedman’s character Amanda was the girlfriend of Chris Burke‘s Charles “Corky” Thatcher. The series also starred Patti LuPone, Bill Smitrovich, and Kellie Martin. Friedman with Chris Burke in Life Goes On (Credit: (c)Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection Additionally, Friedman featured in episodes of hit shows ranging from Baywatch, Touched by an Angel, and Chicago Hope to Walker, Texas Ranger,...

It’s time for a new episode of the Wtf Happened to This Adaptation? video series, and with this one we’re looking back to 1985 to see how a Stephen King “novelette” called Cycle of the Werewolf became the 1985 film Silver Bullet (watch it Here). To hear all about the changes Cycle of the Werewolf went through on the way to becoming Silver Bullet, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Dan Attias from a screenplay written by Stephen King himself, Silver Bullet has the following synopsis: When a series of unexplained murders occurs in the normally quiet town of Tarker’s Mill, the residents decide to hunt down the killer. However, many of these vigilantes end up dead, and those who don’t are no closer to finding an assailant. But, when a young wheelchair-using boy named Marty encounters a werewolf one night, the pieces begin to come together.

Progressive for its time for being the first TV series to feature a main character, Corky, with Down syndrome, '90s TV series Life Goes On had a top-notch cast, but what have the actors been up to since the show went off the air? Premiering in September 1989, Life Goes On follows the day-to-day lives of the Thatcher family as they struggle with the regular hardships of life in suburban Chicago. Beloved for its mix of relatable humor and gripping dramatic storylines, Life Goes On wasn't afraid to touch on hot-button topics, and it was the predecessor to modern shows like This Is Us.

The character of Corky (Chris Burke) was a major step forward for representation in television because the character had Down syndrome and was played by an actor who actually has the genetic disorder. Though the series eventually shifted focus from Corky to other characters, the rich...

On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will be posting one full movie every other day throughout the week, giving viewers the chance to watch them entirely free of charge. The Free Movie of the Day we have for you today is the mystery thriller The Last Lullaby, starring Tom Sizemore. You can watch it over on the YouTube channel linked above, or you can just watch it in the embed at the top of this article.

Directed by Jeffrey Goodman from a screenplay written by Max Allan Collins and Peter Biegen, The Last Lullaby has the following synopsis: A retired hit-man can’t pass up one last high-priced contract. In his final job, he is directed to kill the beautiful and intriguing librarian Sarah, but his violent ways begin to fail him as he falls for this totally unsuspecting mark.

Sizemore is joined in the cast by Sasha Alexander,...