By hannover-web.com At a recent press event in Los Angeles, we had the opportunity to delve into the box office performance of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which is making waves upon its return after five years. While it has managed to secure the top spot for both the single day and weekend box offices in North America, its reception hasn’t quite measured up to that of its predecessor.
According to data from BoxOfficeMojo released on October 6, the North American weekend box office from October 4 to 6 totaled approximately $89.14 million. “Joker: Folie à Deux” was one of four new releases that cracked the top ten, alongside “White Bird.”
Five years ago, the original “Joker” took the film world by storm, claiming the Golden Lion for Best Film at the 76th Venice International Film Festival and becoming the most Oscar-nominated film based on a comic book. It went on to gross over $1 billion globally, a record that still stands for R-rated films.
This time, “Joker: Folie à Deux,” directed and co-written by Todd Phillips, opened with roughly $40 million in its debut weekend. The film features Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix alongside Lady Gaga; however, it currently has a mixed reception across major review platforms, boasting an IMDb rating of 5.3, a Metacritic score of 45, and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 33% from 261 reviews. Its CinemaScore is notably low at a D, indicating a tepid audience reaction.
In contrast, “White Bird: A Wonder Story” debuted with approximately $1.53 million, earning the seventh spot for the weekend. This biographical drama has received a much warmer reception, with an IMDb rating of 7.2, a Metacritic score of 52, and a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 73% from 37 reviews. Notably, it has earned a CinemaScore of A+.
In other box office updates, DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” experienced a significant 47.8% drop in its second weekend, earning about $18.7 million and slipping from first to second place. The animated sci-fi adventure has already surpassed $63.98 million domestically and quickly crossed the $100 million mark globally.
The dark comedy “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” fell from second to third place, raking in around $10.33 million but still boasting impressive totals. It has accumulated approximately $266 million domestically and over $400 million internationally since its release a month ago, placing it eighth on the global box office chart for 2024.
The only film in the top ten to rise in rankings was “The Substance,” a horror drama featuring Demi Moore. Despite being shown in fewer theaters, it climbed from eleventh to ninth place with about $1.35 million, bringing its total earnings to around $16.45 million.
On the other hand, “Megalopolis,” directed and written by the esteemed Francis Ford Coppola, saw the largest drop, plummeting 73.8% in its second weekend with about $1.05 million. It slipped from sixth to tenth place, with total earnings around $8.54 million.
Looking ahead, audiences can anticipate the biographical musical animated film “Piece by Piece,” which is set to hit theaters on October 11.
