Joker was one of the most successful projects in the history of comic book movies and became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, holding that title until Deadpool and Wolverine surpassed it. But what made this billion-dollar run even more special was that Joker was made on a modest budget of just $60 million.
Yes.
But Joker: Folie à Deux has some things to address. First, fans are quite skeptical about it being a musical and doubt that it will break the box office record of the first film. They’re also concerned about the significantly larger budget, which, at $200 million, has the “cursed” status from last year.
$200 million for a musical that may appeal to a smaller audience does sound odd to fans, who are growing increasingly skeptical. But Todd Phillips, the mastermind behind the project, tackles these concerns with optimism.
“They’re like, ‘Why does it cost so much?’ They sound like studio executives. Shouldn’t people be happy that we got this money out of them, and we used it to go hire a bunch of crew people who can then feed their families?”
Whatever the early concerns are, the trailer looked solid, and if the film delivers as it promises, it will definitely be a great watch. Financial concerns are real, as audiences might not prefer a musical, but it’s also true that nothing is stopping fans from coming to the theaters to witness it.
If it eventually gets positive word of mouth, we might have another R-rated blockbuster waiting for us in theaters. Plus, the pairing of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga will be quite special, as the 4th of October will reveal the tricks and mischief of Joker and Harley Quinn.