The curtain has risen on Joker: Folie à Deux – the sequel to the wildly successful Joker (2019) – and let’s just say, not everybody is staying for the end credits.
Despite riding in on the coattails of its hugely successful predecessor – which netted multiple Oscars and a cool $1 billion at the box office – this sequel has fans and critics divided.
When Joaquin Phoenix first graced our screens as the titular character in Joker (Arthur Fleck), the world watched in awe. He even took home the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2020.
Fast forward, and the introduction of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn seemed to promise a blockbuster sequel. Following the release of the trailer, the singer’s inclusion in the movie ignited a renewed buzz around the sequel.
The first Joker movie saw Phoenix win an Oscar for Best Actor. Credit: Rich Fury/Getty
However, early reviews from the Venice Film Festival hinted at a mixed bag, and now that the movie has arrived at local movie theaters, the public is having their say… and a lot of people aren’t happy.
And it seems that it has nothing to do with the acting, storyline, or aesthetics of the movie – but rather the fact that it is a musical.
Yes, some people apparently missed the memo – despite its March reveal by Variety as a jukebox-style affair (similar to a movie like Moulin Rouge).
This genre pivot has not sat well with all, leading to unexpected walkouts, according to social media users. Picture this: die-hard Joker fans settling in for a dark, dramatic sequel only to be met with song after song, totaling a disputed but impactful number.
One fan tweeted the reality of this unexpected twist, “I thought Joker 2 was terrific, but quite a percentage of the audience tonight didn’t. Every time there was another song, more people walked out.”
I thought Joker 2 was terrific, but quite a percentage of the audience tonight didn’t. Every time there was another song, more people walked out. Not sure how they somehow missed the news that this was a musical. pic.twitter.com/ltXl5Tn02o
— Dr Fronkensteen (@retroramblings) October 4, 2024
Apparently ppl were walking out of a #TheJoker screening because they didn’t know it was a musical and I just ….. did you think the singing in the trailer was just for show??????
— TYRANT𐚁 (@notmorgeen) October 4, 2024
Another chimed in with some humor, highlighting the marketing misstep: “I’m assuming at this point that most people thought the original announcement that Joker 2 being a musical was a joke. Because people have been nasty about it today. I have a running tally of people walking out or getting refunds because of it.”
And a third moviegoer tweeted: “For ‘Joker 2’ we all went as a big group, 20 of us and every single person walked out complaining about how boring and hating the musical part the most. The people who were there on their own also left.”
The backlash for the genre choice also made its way to Reddit, with one person writing: “Never thought I would walk out Joker Folie A Deux – snoozefest. I think Phoenix and Gaga were brilliant. Loved the support role by Gleeson. Unfortunately, I didn’t know it was a musical. I hate musicals with a passion.”
This sentiment echoes across the web, with tweets and posts proliferating from disappointed moviegoers, “Last night was the first time in my life I’ve seen people get up in the middle of a movie and walk out. Joker 2 is horrible, save your money…” and another stating, “40 minutes into Joker 2 and I want to walk out. What a colossal failure.”
Gaga will be taking on the iconic role of Harley Quinn. Credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty
And the negative reviews are continuing to pour in.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joker: Folie à Deux is the first Hollywood comic book movie to earn a D CinemaScore from opening day audiences – beating out flops like Morbius and Madame Web.
And over on Rotten Tomatoes, both the audience and critic scores are currently in the low 30s:
Now playing in theaters, it invites you to judge for yourself: is it a misunderstood masterpiece or a cinematic misfire?
