The art of moviegoing is, like any, open to criticism. Sometimes, the stars align, producing absolute lightning in a bottle that just captures the hearts and minds of audiences around the world. And sometimes, it just doesn't come together, with some movies alienating audiences and / or flopping at the box office (and sometimes even both).
The year has had plenty of the former, with huge hits like Deadpool and Wolverine, Inside Out 2, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Wicked, Moana 2, and Gladiator II all resonating with fans around the world and taking the box office by storm. But there were also plenty of cases of the latter too, with films such as Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter receiving negative responses from fans and critics and failing to generate the buzz they needed to succeed at the box office.
And then there was one movie that seemed like it was about to take the world by storm with all kinds of buzz leading up to it. But that buzz didn't turn into box office receipts and instead turned into a loud conversation about how "bad" the movie itself is.
Joker: Folie à Deux is now available to stream on Max
Joker: Folie à Deux has arrived on streaming, debuting on WarnerMedia streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max) on December 13 and it has already made an impression as viewers who didn't go to theaters to see it have watched it for the first time over its debut weekend. The reaction has been, well, pretty much as you would expect.
The film has become the most notorious of the year due to its catastrophic box office performance that resulted in it becoming one of the biggest box office failures, grossing just $206 million on an estimated budget of $190 - $200 million. It would have needed to gross around just under $400 million to break even. If it had, it still would have been down over half a billion on its predecessor, but it would have been a win that Warner Bros. would have taken. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
2019's Joker was a divisive movie but it held a strong critical reputation, earning itself some Academy Awards, and went on to gross over $1 billion at the box office, while its sequel did none of those things. There was early excitement for the second film, positive buzz in the lead-up to its premiere, and the welcome addition of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. But shortly before the film's wide release, everything changed. Everyone braced for the backlash. And, oh, did it come.
Despite Todd Phillips returning to direct, Joaquin Phoenix returning as Arthur Fleck, and the powerhouse that is Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux was not well-received by the vast majority of those who watched it - with many branding it the worst movie of the year. Some blamed the pacing, others blamed the fact that it was a musical - which may have put off the general audiences who went to see the first film in the franchise. And then there's just the fact that they somehow "franchised" a one-story film like Joker.
Yep, many felt that it didn't need a sequel. So when the writing was on the wall (and the singing was in the trailers, perhaps), they didn't bother going to see it. And unfortunately, it showed because - after about one week of buzz (that couldn't deflect from the preparation for the underperformance) - Joker 2 very quickly and quietly removed itself from the pop-culture discussions. It was so fleeting that a digital release came much earlier than expected.
Now, here we are, ready to visit (or revisit) Gotham City for its most musical endeavor yet. Does it live up to the bad hype or exceed expectations in a good way? It's time to find out.
Joker: Folie à Deux is now streaming on Max.