Joker 2: Big Names, Small Numbers

It's no joke that Joker 2, one of the year's most anticipated films, fell flat at the US box office. Despite a star-studded cast led by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the movie didn't live up to expectations. With an estimated budget of $190 million, Joker 2 had a disappointing opening weekend, earning around $40 million in North America. This is way below what its predecessor made back in 2019. What went wrong? Well, the movie received a dismal D rating from CinemaScore and faced harsh criticism online. Fans weren't impressed, and word of mouth wasn't kind either. The film's pre-sales were promising, with estimates around $70 million, but it flopped on release day. Globally, the numbers weren't any better. Released in over 70 countries, Joker 2 only managed to gross $121. 1 million worldwide. This is a far cry from its predecessor's $247 million global earnings. Even other recent releases like The Flash and Black Adam performed better than this clown prince of disappointment.