Joker 2 Suffers a Historic Drop at the Box Office as Another Clown Takes the Top Spot
Joker: Folie à Deux grossed an estimated $7 million this past weekend, representing the worst second-weekend decline for any comic-book movie in history.
As if things weren't bad enough for Joker: Folie à Deux, the DC sequel just broke an extremely dubious record in its second weekend at the box office.
According to Comscore's weekend estimates, Joker: Folie à Deux earned a measly $7 million domestically over the weekend. That represents a devastating 81% drop from its already unimpressive $37.8 million opening weekend, making for the worst second-weekend decline for a comic-book movie in history, per The Hollywood Reporter. Previously, The Marvels held that title with a 78% drop in its second weekend.
That dive put Joker 2 in the #3 spot at the North American box office. Coincidentally, taking the top spot was another clown: horror sequel Terrifier 3 debuted at #1 domestically with $18.2 million. DreamWorks Animations' critically acclaimed The Wild Robot came in second in its third weekend with $13.4 million.
Filling out the rest of the top five were Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, grossing just a bit less than Joker: Folie à Deux with $7 million, and animated Pharrell Williams biopic Piece by Piece with $3 million. THR notes that, when final numbers come in, Joker 2 could end up falling behind Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
The situation for Joker: Folie à Deux was a tad less dire internationally, grossing an estimated $22.7 million from overseas markets this weekend to put it at the #2 spot, under The Wild Robot. That puts its current global total at $165.3 million, which doesn't put it in a great position to cross the $450 million it reportedly has to make in order to break even. Analysts who previously spoke to IGN about its opening weekend expressed doubt that Joker: Folie à Deux could recover, especially in the midst of negative reviews and poor word of mouth.
If you have seen Joker: Folie à Deux, check out our chat with writer/director Todd Phillips and why he says it "was never about addressing toxic fandom."
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
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