Summary
Joker: Folie à deuxstar Lady Gaga has finally broken her silence on the failure of the aforementioned film at the box office, expressing her thoughts on the film’s negative reception. The star reflects on the challenges and lessons learned, shedding light on the creative risks behind the controversial sequel.
The 2019 filmJokerturned out to be a gigantic hit for Warner Bros. Directed by Todd Phillips, the first movie told the story of Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix) navigating life through his mental illness. By the end of the first film, viewers got to know Arthur as someone who started a movement in the city. When WB announced that a sequel, titledJoker: Folie à deux, would take the story forward and bring Harleen Quinzel back to the big screen, it made everyone believe that they were in for another thrilling ride. However, the movie received negative reviews from the critics as well as the audience. Months after the film’s release, Gaga, who played Harleen Quinzel in the movie, now has opened up about the film’s negative reaction, noting that sometimes viewers don’t like what they do.
Speaking in an interview withElle UK, the 38-year-old actress opened up about her perspective on the disappointing performance ofJoker: Folie à Deux. Reflecting on the film’s reception, the star, who brought Harley Quinn to life, shared her belief that as an artist, it’s essential to keep moving forward, even when a project doesn’t resonate with audiences as anticipated. She emphasized that such setbacks are part of the creative journey and refrained from placing blame for the movie’s underwhelming impact. Instead, Gaga gracefully acknowledged that it’s natural for fans to not connect with every project, highlighting the importance of accepting both success and failure in the artistic process. She said,“People just sometimes don’t like some things. It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. You keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended.”
The comments made by the musician-turned-actress showed how much she has evolved as a performer. Moreover, it also showcases that she is brave enough to talk about her failures without blaming anyone. The downfall ofJoker: Folie à deuxbegan when it had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2024. Just like its predecessor, director Phillips hoped that it would receive rave reviews from the critics and maybe, win another prize at the prestigious festival. Butthings turned upside down when the reviews were negative and the film failed to gather steam. However, no one expected that the sequel would underperform at the box office as well. The first Joker movie broke several records and became the first-ever R-rated film to earn more than $1 billion globally. Conversely, it won 2 Oscars and was nominated for 11 in total. So, the sequel already had big shoes to fill. However, it seems fans and critics didn’t like the new approach by the makers, and couldn’t connect to it.
The sequel, which reportedly had a production budget of $125 million (excluding the marketing and distribution costs),could only make $206 million globally, making Warner Bros. lose a lot of money. Even though it became a hit on streaming platforms, the success wasn’t enough for the film to have a bigger impact on its criticism. Gaga has become the first prominent figure involved withJoker: Folie à Deuxto address the film’s disappointing performance. While Gaga has openly shared her thoughts on the project’s failure, key figures like Phoenix and director Phillips have remained silent amid the backlash. Reports have suggested that both Phoenix and Phillips have faced criticism for the sequel’s underwhelming outcome, with some pointing to their creative decisions as contributing factors. However, neither has commented publicly on the film’s poor reception, leaving Gaga as the sole voice to reflect on the challenges surrounding the much-anticipated yet polarizing sequel.
