Why Joker: Folie à Deux Failed at Box Office Revealed by Warner Bros. Bosses

Warner Bros. film chiefs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca have broken their silence on the disappointing box office performance of Joker: Folie à Deux. In a new interview, they explained why they believe the film failed to connect with mainstream audiences. They also addressed their continued support for the creative direction taken by director Todd Phillips.

Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca react to Joker: Folie à Deux’s failure

Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca addressed the failure of Joker: Folie à Deux in an interview with The Wrap, stating they still stand by the film. Abdy said, “I really liked the movie. I still do.” De Luca noted the movie was “really revisionist” and suggested that might have been why it failed to resonate: “It may be that it was too revisionist for a global mainstream audience.”

De Luca also credited director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver for avoiding repetition: “They did the thing that most people making sequels don’t do, which is they decided to not repeat themselves.”

He added, “I do give them immense props for not repeating themselves, but it just turned out to not connect with the audience.” The film earned only $207 million globally, despite Warner Bros. giving it a reported $200 million budget. The Academy completely ignored it during the Oscars.

Folie à Deux, which premiered in October 2024, continued the story of Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck. It also introduced Lady Gaga as Harleen “Lee” Quinzel. The filmmakers moved away from the original’s crime drama tone. They embraced a hybrid format that blended courtroom drama with musical elements.

Unlike the 2019 Joker, which grossed $1 billion and won multiple Oscars, the sequel received negative reviews. It failed to connect with critics or audiences and performed poorly at the box office. De Luca commented on the setback, saying, “You get a veteran’s thick skin.” He added, “Everyone has flops, but not everyone has hits. You just try not to torture the ones that don’t work.”

Despite the failure, Warner Bros. rebounded in 2025 with several box office successes. These included A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Superman, and Weapons. Abdy and De Luca also greenlit One Battle After Another, which now leads the race for Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars.

Source: Comingsoon.net