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The blame game for Joker: Folie À Deux’s failure has begun

“Joker: Folie à Deux” Bombs: Did Warner Bros. Shoot Itself in the Foot?

The sequel to the critically acclaimed “Joker” has flopped spectacularly, and everyone’s pointing fingers. “Joker: Folie à Deux”, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, was a massive gamble that didn’t pay off, leaving Warner Bros. scrambling to figure out where it all went wrong. This affects not just the studio’s bottom line, but potentially the future direction of DC movies as a whole.

While some critics argue the film’s musical format and “anti-superhero” stance alienated audiences, reports suggest Warner Bros. is frustrated that director Todd Phillips didn’t make a more traditional “Joker” movie. Apparently, Phillips distanced himself from the DC universe, even avoiding meetings with DC Studio bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran. One insider quoted by Variety even lamented that a less “Joker-centric” film could have made significantly less money, implying that the character’s popularity was the main draw of the first film.

The Variety report also details tensions between Phillips and the studio over budget, premiere location, and test screenings. However, Warner Bros. claims to have supported Phillips’ vision. The real issue seems to be that Phillips delivered exactly what he promised: an unconventional film that challenges the superhero genre. He had previously described the first “Joker” as an “anti-comic book movie,” so expecting a mainstream superhero flick was probably unrealistic.

This situation begs the question: did Warner Bros. make a mistake by giving Phillips so much creative control? He was open about his intentions from the start, and the studio’s apparent surprise at the final product seems misplaced. The irony is that this debacle might lead to studios tightening their grip on intellectual property and giving directors less freedom, potentially stifling creativity in the long run. This could have a chilling effect on future filmmakers hoping to take risks with established characters.

The “Joker: Folie à Deux” situation is a cautionary tale about the challenges of balancing artistic vision with commercial expectations in the world of superhero blockbusters. The fallout from this could impact how studios approach similar projects in the future.

Author Bio
Content Creator | @hitomidocameraroll

I'm Annelise, a film lover and pop culture obsessive sharing my thoughts on movies, fashion, and lifestyle on Instagram. Follow along for film reviews, book recommendations, and a healthy dose of geeking out over all things pop culture.

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