I ran into a little blurb while reading articles at Deadline how due to a three-week deal, Joker 2 is taking up the IMAX screenings this week.
The site actually mentions it in two separate articles about how Smile 2 debuts this weekend but isn’t in IMAX:
Smile 2 will have the PLFs as part of its 3,500-theater count this weekend. Where are the Imax screens? Why they’re part of a three-week deal on Warner Bros’ bomb Joker: Folie a Deux.
Smile 2 has all the PLF screens this weekend, while the Imax venues live with Warner Bros’ Joker: Folie à Deux.
However, what I actually found is that Deadpool & Wolverine is actually back in IMAX.
I checked my local Buffalo-area IMAX theater, a Regal IMAX theater in NYC, and the TCL IMAX theater in LA and found that two of the three theaters have Deadpool & Wolverine. Two of the three also have The Wild Robot in IMAX. Only the TCL IMAX theater doesn’t have Deadpool & Wolverine.
Obviously, what is interesting is that Deadpool & Wolverine came out back in July and is available to watch digitally on VOD, yet it has returned to IMAX while Joker 2, said to have a deal to play in IMAX, isn’t apparently screening in as many IMAX theaters.
We all know the reason why, it’s because Joker 2 massively bombed at the box office. The first film made a billion dollars so obviously IMAX would be quick to strike a deal for the sequel, but with Joker 2 bombing, that would mean IMAX theaters would be empty. I went to a regular theater the second Saturday and the theater was empty.
Joker 2 only made $500k on Wednesday. After two weeks, it only has a $53 million domestic gross and a worldwide gross of $167M. It’s also being reported Warner Bros. Discovery will lose $150M to $200M.
I blasted Joker 2 and director Todd Phillips in my video reaction and review.
Hey, at least we get to see Deadpool & Wolverine in IMAX. Marvel laughs all the way to the bank. Deadpool & Wolverine has grossed over $1.3 billion and has made its way into the top twenty grossing movies of all time.
