Warner Bros. Execs Defend Joker: Folie a Deux

The sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 smash hit Joker arrived with high expectations but delivered a cinematic experience that polarized audiences and critics alike. Joker: Folie a Deux, the ambitious musical follow-up, ultimately became a notorious box office disappointment.

Despite the film's financial failure and negative reception, two of Hollywood's most powerful executives are standing by their creative choices. Warner Bros. heads of film Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca have publicly defended the project, expressing their continued admiration for the film's artistic vision.

In a recent interview, both Abdy and De Lucas doubled down on their support for the film, which starred returning lead Joaquin Phoenix alongside Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Abdy's sentiment was unequivocal.

"I really liked the movie. I still do."

De Lucas elaborated on the film's ambitious scope, acknowledging its departure from the original's tone. He noted that while the creative risks may have alienated some viewers, they were necessary.

"It was really revisionist. It may be that it was too revisionist for a global mainstream audience, but I thought that Todd and his screenwriting partner Scott (Silver) did the thing that most people making sequels don't do, which is they decided to not repeat themselves. I do give them immense props for not repeating themselves, but it just turned out to not connect with the audience."

The shift from gritty crime drama to an introspective courtroom drama jukebox musical proved to be a costly gamble. Joker: Folie a Deux amassed just $207 million worldwide, a stark contrast to the original film's enormous $1 billion box office haul.

The financial failure is particularly acute when considering the production costs. The sequel carried a reported budget of approximately $200 million. This means the film's gross revenue alone failed to cover its production expenses, let alone marketing and distribution costs, making it an immediate financial failure.

The negative critical reception mirrored the audience apathy. IGN, for example, stated the film "[wasted] its potential" upon release. Unlike its predecessor, which secured nine Academy Award nominations and two wins, the sequel failed to receive any major awards nominations.

The fallout from the film's performance was significant enough to spark rumors that Abdy and De Lucas might be ousted from their high-profile positions. However, the executives view such risks as an inherent part of the industry.

De Lucas framed the experience as a necessary part of a long career in Hollywood. He emphasized that navigating flops is essential for any executive who also enjoys major hits.

"You get a veteran's thick skin. I've certainly had flops in my history. I have been lucky enough to have hits in my history. But I try to remember something someone told me once: Everyone has flops, but not everyone has hits. You just try not to torture the ones that don't work."

This philosophy aligns with the perspective shared by the film's star, Lady Gaga, who addressed the negative reception months after its release. She acknowledged the difficulty of artistic failure but defended the necessity of taking creative risks.

Lady Gaga, who remained silent for a period following the film's release, eventually opened up about the harsh criticism. She framed the experience as a fundamental reality of artistic expression.

"People just sometimes don't like some things. It's that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn't connect in the way that you intended."

She further described the emotional toll of public rejection, noting that the fear of failure is an unavoidable component of the creative process. "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of," she said. "It's part of the mayhem."

This sentiment echoes the studio heads' commitment to backing bold, auteur-driven projects, even when they defy commercial expectations.

The defense of Joker: Folie a Deux highlights a tension in modern Hollywood between commercial viability and artistic integrity. While the film failed to connect with a global audience, its creators stand by the decision to take a significant creative swing.

For Warner Bros., the experience serves as a case study in the high-stakes nature of blockbuster filmmaking. The studio's leadership remains committed to supporting filmmakers who wish to evolve their stories, even when the results are divisive.

Ultimately, the legacy of the sequel may be defined not by its box office numbers, but by its willingness to challenge audience expectations—a risk that, for now, the studio does not regret taking.