The blame game is now happening with Joker 2 massively bombing not only at the box office but with both critics and the fans.
Following the first flick’s billion-dollar blockbuster, big things were expected from Joker 2. However, as we all know, the jokes on us, as it wasn’t what anyone expected (which may have been intentional).
Joker 2 only opened to $37 million and change, a far cry from the first movie’s nearly $100 million opening back in 2019. The original cost only $50 million to make whereas the sequel has a massive $200 million budget and needs to make $450 million theatrically just to break even.
To put things in perspective, the combined pay for Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix, and Lady Gaga for Joker 2 matches the entire budget of the first film.
So what happened?
According to a report from Variety, director Todd Phillips is to blame in what sounds like a big case of Phillips’ ego getting in the way.
So what happened with the first Joker is that it almost didn’t get made. Reportedly the studio was against it and it was even reported Jared Leto – the DCEU’s Clown Prince of Crime – tried to stop the film from getting made. It’s safe to say Phillips was none too happy.
When Joker was released, it blew away expectations.
So with Joker reining in a billion, apparently Phillips was given the keys to the kingdom. That is apparently where things started to go south.
Two years after Joker was released would also see the producer on the first Joker depart from Warner Bros. and with Phillips — Bradley Cooper. Now that’s interesting as Cooper starred with Lady Gaga in WB’s A Star Is Born. What happened?
Fast forward a year or so later and Joker 2 started production right when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios.
Well, apparently, Gunn and Safran had no say in Joker 2. As pointed out by fans, Joker 2 doesn’t have the DC Studios logo at the start of the film, and Gunn recently replied to fans on social media that every film and character after will be DC Studios.
Variety also points out that Todd Phillips was asked about Gunn and Safran by Collider. When asked if the production process changed when the pair succeeded DC head Walter Hamada or if they had any input, Phillips replied, “With all due respect to them, this is kind of a Warner Bros. movie.” Ouch.
As the article notes: “Phillips had just given DC the middle finger. There was no DC Studios logo.”
You could probably even argue maybe Gunn didn’t want his new DC Studios attached as Joker 2 is so bad. Variety says Gunn and Safran were there for the first director’s cut screening at the studio (but apparently didn’t give notes or weren’t asked). However, Gunn and Safran didn’t bother attending the premiere.
It’s also said WBD CEO David Zaslav met with Phillips and wanted the sequel filmed in London where they would have saved 20%. However, Phillips said no and wanted Joker 2 to film in Los Angeles.
It’s further said WB didn’t want Joker 2 to premiere at the Venice Film Festival, which saw it get killed by critics. However, Phillips balked at that too and apparently demanded Joker 2 first get released at the festival. This is amid no test screenings, which Phillips also refused to do, states the article.
Three days prior to the premiere, Phillips also stated he was done with DC.
“No one could get through to Todd,” one source said to be directly involved with the film fills in Variety. “And the one thing about genre stuff: If you don’t listen and pay attention to what the fan expectations are, you’re going to fail.”
