Big-budget films are the new norms of the industry, but when it comes to big-budget films, there is a cursed number, and that’s $200M. Especially last year, that number came out as a cursed one; except for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” none managed to gain any profits.
And will “Joker 2” serve the same fate?
No, let’s talk about numbers. “Joker” managed to set some ginormous records, especially for an R-rated film. Becoming the highest-grossing film with that rating, “Joker” was entertaining as well, in terms of quality.
So, will “Joker 2” gain the same popularity?
In terms of the hype, “Joker 2” manages to live up to the hype, especially since it didn’t suffer massive leaks, making the fans more excited about the film. This will definitely do justice to the first installment of the franchise, but there is something which might pull it down.
WB is advertising “Joker: Folie à Deux” as a musical, and that can be a less calculated step or can make it a masterpiece. Now, adding Lady Gaga to the lineup would have raised certain speculations about it being a musical.
Advertising any film as a musical has its downside, especially as masses treat it as an alienated concept. Similar things happened to “Mean Girls” as the makers didn’t advertise it as a musical.
Only three musicals ever grossed the $1Bn mark, and after 2017, no live-action musical grossed those numbers. So, stakes are really high when it comes to the box-office numbers, as “Wonka” this year did gather a massive sum, but that’s nowhere close to “Joker’s” numbers.
$200M is a massive bet, especially as the first film had $60M, quite the difference. But the industry is unpredictable, and that is the best part about it. “Joker 2” might be the next massive musical.