Watch: Warner Bros Faces $200M Loss as Joker: Folie à Deux Flops at Box Office

Despite the star power of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 hit Joker, is struggling at the box office. While the original Joker was a massive success, grossing over a billion dollars globally, the sequel has not been able to replicate that success.

After two weeks in theaters, Joker: Folie à Deux has earned only $51.5 million in domestic markets and $165 million globally. By comparison, the first Joker brought in $96.2 million domestically and $248.4 million worldwide within just three days of its release. The sequel is now projected to reach a domestic total of $65 million and a global gross between $210 million and $215 million by the end of its theatrical run, falling far short of its predecessor’s earnings.

This performance spells potential trouble for Warner Bros., as Joker 2 was produced on a $200 million budget, with an additional $100 million spent on marketing and distribution. With these figures, the movie is far from the $450 million it needs to break even. Insiders suggest the break-even point could be around $375 million, but even that target seems difficult to reach at this pace.

A Warner Bros. spokesperson responded to these concerns, stating, “Any estimates provided by anonymous ‘insiders’ or ‘rival executives’ are grossly inaccurate and continue the trend of rumors being reported as facts. The film is still in theaters, including this week’s opening in China, and will continue to generate revenue through its home and ancillary markets.”

Joker: Folie à Deux was greenlit following the overwhelming success of the first film, which also won two Academy Awards. Directed by Todd Phillips, the sequel sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as the troubled Arthur Fleck, while Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harleen Quinzel, also known as Harley Quinn.