Legendary video game developer Hideo Kojima has shared his take on Joker: Folie á Deux, claiming that the maligned sequel’s reputation will improve several years from now. On his Twitter account, Kojima detailed his experience watching the film, touching on its exploration of the dual identities of Arthur Fleck and the Joker. Admitting that the movie is currently divisive, he predicted people might have a different outlook on it once some time has passed.
Kojima wrote: “Lately, many spin-off films with a focus on the villains have been made. Can villains be superheroes too? Is this question posed on the big screen as a DC movie, too avant-garde? Was it the Joker that audiences around the world loved? Was it Arthur? This is where the reviews have diverged. Over the next 10 or 20 years, this film’s reputation will likely change along with the permeation of hero movies to come. It may take some time for it to become a true ‘folie á deux.’” In his post, he also noted that the other attendees at his screening enjoyed the performances of stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, who headline the film as Arthur and Harley Quinn. Check out Kojima’s full reaction here.
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Hitting theaters in October, Joker: Folie á Deux is the follow-up to 2019’s Joker, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide and earned several accolades — including a Best Picture nomination and a Best Actor win for Phoenix at the Academy Awards. Looking to build on that success, Warner Bros. brought Phoenix and director Todd Phillips back for a sequel. With Gaga’s casting giving the film some extra star power, the studio was excited about Folie á Deux leading up to its premiere. Looking to replicate the playbook of the first movie, Folie á Deux played at the Venice Film Festival, where Joker won the Golden Lion award. However, instead of generating Oscar buzz, Folie á Deux earned mixed reviews, which proved to be a bad omen for its prospects.
[Related: Joker 2 Changes Harley Quinn’s Origin Story (& Makes it Worse)]
Once it released to the general public, things got even worse for Folie á Deux. Widely panned by critics and audiences, the film struggled at the box office. As of this writing, it’s grossed only $204.7 million worldwide against a production budget in the $190-200 million range, making it a massive commercial failure. While the first Joker was polarizing, it still had its fair share of passionate admirers who appreciated its take on the character. In the case of Folie á Deux, reactions were almost universally negative. Fans criticized Phillips’ decision to make the sequel a musical, while others found the film’s portrayal of Harley disappointing.
Kojima, who knows a thing or two about making divisive projects (look at the responses to Death Stranding), may not be entirely off-base with his prediction for Joker: Folie á Deux. History is full of films that failed to make an impact during their initial release only to finally catch on much later. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, now hailed as one of the best and most influential sci-fi works of all time, didn’t have much traction at the box office and divided critics in 1982. Even the Star Wars prequels — which drew the ire of many fans — became subject to critical reappraisal years after their debut. Joker 2 could certainly find itself among those ranks, possibly finding an audience as it gets ready to hit home media.
Whether that actually happens remains to be seen. Audiences seem to have largely rejected Joker: Folie á Deux, which isn’t the best sign for it being reevaluated in a decade or two. While Blade Runner wasn’t considered the classic it is today when it premiered, it still had some people singing its praises from the jump, allowing it to garner a following. It’ll also be a matter of time before moviegoers see the next on-screen iteration of the Joker and move on from Phoenix’s take. The Batman already featured Barry Keoghan’s take, a role the actor could reprise in a sequel, and the Joker could also appear in James Gunn’s DC Universe franchise.