Love It or Hate It: Joker: Folie à Deux Is the Film Everyone’s Talking About

Joker: Folie à Deux is an American musical psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips, and it serves as the highly anticipated sequel to Joker (2019). Loosely based on DC Comics characters, the film brings back Joaquin Phoenix in the role of Arthur Fleck, better known as the Joker. Joining him is Lady Gaga, playing his love interest, Lee Quinzel. The cast also includes Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from the first film, along with newcomers Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener. Released on October 4, 2024, the film has already made a big impact at the box office, grossing $121.1 million worldwide within its first few days.

Joker: Folie à Deux is not just a typical sequel but an expansion of the original film’s themes. This time around, the movie takes a musical turn, blending dark psychological elements with song and dance, an unexpected but bold choice. With a production budget of $200 million, the film needs to gross around $450 million to break even. While the financial goal is high, the early box office numbers show promising signs of the movie’s commercial success. As with the first Joker, this sequel has sparked significant conversation among audiences and critics alike.

The public response to Folie à Deux has been mixed, but that’s something many expected. Some fans are disappointed with the ending, feeling let down by how the story wraps up, but others argue that the film is much deeper than it appears on the surface. Fans who appreciate it believe it’s a movie that requires multiple viewings to fully grasp its themes. The title itself, Folie à Deux, refers to shared madness, and many viewers feel this perfectly reflects the chaos and psychological depth the film explores. One fan commented, “This movie was meant to make us uncomfortable. It holds a mirror to how we consume violence and sensationalism, while ignoring the realities of mental illness.”

Critics had predicted that Folie à Deux would divide audiences, and they were right. However, those who love it believe this division is intentional. The movie challenges the fantasy many viewers had about Joker as some kind of anti-hero. “He’s not an alpha male hero; he’s just a man trying to find his place in a broken world,” one fan wrote. This split in opinion has created passionate discussions online, with fans dissecting the movie’s messages and its controversial ending. Love it or hate it, Joker: Folie à Deux is designed to spark debate and make audiences reflect on their own fascination with the darker sides of human nature.