Lady Gaga Addresses Joker 2 Box Office Flop

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Summary

  • Gaga reflects on Joker: Folie à deux failure, highlighting the importance of moving forward as an artist.
  • Joker 2 digital release is rejected by audiences despite Gaga’s performance, leading to underwhelming box office results.
  • Sequel underperforms after high expectations due to negative reviews, following the success of the first film.

Lady Gaga, who played a key role in the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux,” has spoken out for the first time about its underperformance at the box office. She shares her thoughts on the film’s unfavorable response, reflecting on the hurdles encountered and insights gained during the making of this daring follow-up, which stirred controversy due to its innovative approach.

The 2019 film “Joker,” produced by Warner Bros., was an enormous success, directed by Todd Phillips. This initial installment followed Arthur Fleck (portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix), a character grappling with mental illness, as he navigated life. By the conclusion of the first movie, audiences came to know Arthur as the instigator of a city-wide movement. When it was announced that a sequel, titled “Joker: Folie à deux,” would continue the story and reintroduce Harleen Quinzel to the big screen, excitement for another exciting journey grew. Unfortunately, upon its release, the movie garnered negative feedback from both critics and audiences. Later, Lady Gaga, who played Harleen Quinzel in the film, has recently discussed the film’s unfavorable reception, suggesting that sometimes, viewers may not appreciate what they see.

In a conversation with Elle UK, the 38-year-old actress candidly discussed her thoughts on the less-than-satisfactory performance of “Joker: Folie à Deux”. Reflecting on the film’s response, the actress who gave life to Harley Quinn expressed that as an artist, it is crucial to keep progressing, despite a project not striking a chord with audiences as expected. She underscored that such disappointments are par for the course in the creative journey and opted against assigning blame for the movie’s lackluster impact. Instead, Gaga humbly admitted that it is normal for fans not to connect with every project, stressing the significance of embracing both triumph and failure in the artistic process. She stated, “Sometimes people just don’t like certain things. It’s as straightforward as that. And I believe that to be an artist, one must be prepared for people not to always appreciate it. You persevere even when something didn’t resonate as intended.

The former musician-turned-actress’s remarks demonstrated her growth as a performer, and they revealed her courage in discussing her setbacks without casting blame. Unfortunately, the downfall of “Joker: Folie à deux” began at its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2024. Like its predecessor, director Phillips anticipated positive reviews from critics and perhaps another accolade at the prestigious event. However, things took a turn for the worse when the reviews were negative, and the film struggled to gain momentum. However, it was unexpected that the sequel would underperform at the box office as well. The original Joker movie shattered records and became the first-ever R-rated film to earn over $1 billion globally. Moreover, it won 2 Oscars and was nominated for 11 in total. Therefore, the sequel had big shoes to fill. However, it appears that both fans and critics failed to resonate with the new direction taken by the creators.

In a turn of events, the follow-up movie, rumored to have cost $125 million (not including advertising and release expenses), managed to gather only $206 million worldwide, causing significant financial losses for Warner Bros. Despite its popularity on streaming services, the film’s success didn’t significantly improve its critical standing. Lady Gaga, one of the prominent figures associated with “Joker: Folie à Deux,” has been vocal about the movie’s underperformance. In contrast, key players like Phoenix and director Phillips have kept quiet amidst the criticism, although they are believed to have faced backlash over the sequel’s lackluster performance. Some attribute this to their creative choices, but neither has publicly addressed the film’s poor reception, leaving Gaga as the lone figure discussing the difficulties surrounding the eagerly awaited yet divisive sequel.

Joker: Folie à deux is available for streaming on MAX.

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2025-01-28 22:19