Summary
Joker:Folie À Deuxwas a bad investment, no question. But just how bad? Recent data reveals that it’s the worst box office bomb of 2024, setting Warner Bros. Pictures a sum huge enough to make another superhero movie.
Joker:Folie À Deuxwas released on July 11, 2025, and was supposed to—or at the very least—match two-thirds of the first movie’s $1.07 billion gross, especially considering how much of a pop-culture phenomenon Joaquin Phoenix’s iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime became in 2019. It goes without saying that the opposite was the case for theJokersequel. Despite adding Lady Gaga, Harley Quinn, Todd Phillips’ movie dropped -81% in its second weekend—unprecedented for a comic book movie. Worse, it became a recipient of three unwanted awards: the Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Remake, Worst Rip-off or Sequel, and Worst Screen Combo. A measly D on Cinemascore and a 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes sealedJoker’s most recent movie as truly the worstto come out of Gotham.
Joker:Folie À Deuxwas the Biggest Financial Failure Among 2024 Titles with $144 million
Meanwhile, Disney and Pixar Smiled to the Bank withInside Out 2as the Most Profitable Movie of 2024.
Joker:Folie À Deuxfailed to hit its estimated break-even threshold of around $400 million, eventually settling for $207 million ($58 million in North America and $149 million overseas); thus, it was projected to lose around $150-$200 million. Now, thanks toDeadline’s annual “Most Valuable Blockbuster” report, the precise breakdown of the figures is in. The report listsJoker:Folie À Deux’s total revenue as $227 million—consisting of $87 million from cinemas, $55 million from home entertainment and $85 million via TV and streaming—against an expense cume of $371 million—including $200 million production costs, $106 million on marketing, $25 million on residuals and distribution expenses and $40 million on interests.All these amount to a net loss of $144 million, leadingFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga’s $119.6 million,Bordelands’ $80 million,Megalopolis’ $75.5 million, and fellow comic book movieKraven the Hunter’s $71 million, as the biggest financial setbacks of any 2024 title.
Ironically,Jokerwas one of the most profitable tentpoles of 2019 and the biggest R-rated flick—untilDeadpool and Wolverine, that is. Arthur Fleck’s origin movie was originally devised as a one-off. But huge profits made executives at Warner Bros backtrack and push for a sequel, which famously backfired. At the top of the blame list isthe questionable decision for a musical in a Joker movie, making a U-turn on everything that made the first movie a social statement, and the refusal to hold test screenings.
On the bright side of 2024 sequels sitsInside Out 2.Though losing its title as thehighest-grossing animation of all timetoNe Zha 2, the film’s $1.69 billion gross translated to $650 million in net profits for Disney and Pixar ($1.15 billion in total revenue against $500 million in total expenses) and was the most profitable of last year.Moana 2closes in $235 million behind. Despite sharing box office spoils withWicked, Moana from Motunui’s second journey still managed to secure $1.05 billion in theaters and $415 million in net profit for Disney.
