Joker: Folie À Deux director Todd Phillips 'wanted nothing to do with DC' <br>
<br>
during making of the $200million flop film, a new report has claimed.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the 2019 billion dollar Oscar-winning <br>
<br>
film - stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga and was considered a surefire hit for Warner Bros <br>
<br>
Pictures - but was slammed by critics and failed to ignite at the box office.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The sequel has been roundly criticized for being a musical and 'ignoring' the DC fanbase - with an agent familiar with Phillips' <br>
<br>
process telling Variety he 'wanted nothing to do with DC' <br>
<br>
during the making of the film, with DC bosses James Gunn and <br>
<br>
Peter Safran notably absent from the film's LA premiere afterparty last month.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A source said: 'If the first movie was about some down-on-his-luck, mentally ill guy <br>
<br>
in a downtrodden city, it makes maybe $150 [million] <br>
<br>
worldwide. Not a billion. People showed up because that guy was Joker.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In an apparent snub by Phillips, the opening sequence <br>
<br>
of the film does not include a DC Studios logo.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently holds an audience score of 31% and a critic score of 32%<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the 2019 billion dollar Oscar-winning film <br>
<br>
- stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga - seen with Phillips last month - and <br>
<br>
was considered a surefire hit for Warners Bros Pictures - <br>
<br>
but was slammed by critics and failed to ignite at the box office <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A DC spokesman said Gunn was directing the Max series Peacemaker in Atlanta, which had lost a day of production due to Hurricane Helene, while Safran was sick. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Read More<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker: Folie À Deux is branded 'bleak' and the 'most disappointing follow-up' by critics<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A Warner spokesman added that a DC logo appears at the end of the Joker sequel.<br>
<br>
while Phillips declined to comment to the publication. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Several frictions are said to have developed between Phillips,<br>
<br>
DC and Warner- with claims that Michael DeLuca, Chairperson of Warner Bros.<br>
<br>
Entertainment, and CEO Pamela Abdy seemed 'unwilling' to say <br>
<br>
no to Phillips due to his huge past successes.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It is claimed Phillips would 'only' speak with DeLuca and Abdy rather than Gunn and Safran - who took control of <br>
<br>
DC two months before production began on Joker 2 in December 2022.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Gunn and Safran did attend the first director's cut screening for the studio but <br>
<br>
Phillips fueled rift speculation when he told a reporter:<br>
<br>
'With all due respect to them, this is kind of a Warner <br>
<br>
Bros. movie.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav also met with <br>
<br>
Phillips shortly after WarnerMedia and Discovery merged <br>
<br>
in April 2022 and was 'open to filming in Los Angeles if the director would make the sequel at a <br>
<br>
lower price point.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The studio wanted to film in London which would have cost around 20 per cent less.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
However, Phillips insisted on filming in LA with the budget remaining static. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The sequel has been roundly criticized for being a <br>
<br>
musical and 'ignoring' the DC fanbase - with an agent familiar with Phillips' process telling <br>
<br>
Variety he 'wanted nothing to do with DC' during the making <br>
<br>
of the film, with DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran notably absent from the film's <br>
<br>
LA premiere afterparty last month<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A Warner spokesman told the publication the <br>
<br>
studio 'supported the decision to film in Los <br>
<br>
Angeles'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A source directly involved with the film said: 'No one could get through to <br>
<br>
Todd. And the one thing about genre stuff: If you don't listen and pay attention to what the fan expectations are, you're <br>
<br>
going to fail.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Insiders also claim studio bosses did not want to premiere the film at the Venice Film Festival, <br>
<br>
but Phillips pushed back - with a Warner spokesman saying the studio 'fully supported the decision to bring the <br>
<br>
film to Venice.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker: Folie À Deux has garnered the lowest CinemaScore in comic <br>
<br>
book movie history as the film bombed at the box office on opening night. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It has only made $114million worldwide against its $200million budget. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The psychological musical thriller — which has been criticized as 'bleak' and 'disappointing' <br>
<br>
— officially released in theaters on Friday, October 4, but <br>
<br>
it only raked in $20 million at the domestic box office, per The Hollywood Reporter. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Phoenix reprised his role as the Joker in the <br>
<br>
sequel, which had earned him an Oscar for his portrayal in the 2019 film, while Gaga took on the role of Harleen Lee Quinzel (Harley Quinn). <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
However, Joker: Folie À Deux has been given a D rating on CinemaScore — <br>
<br>
the lowest score for a comic book movie. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Madame Web — which notably also flopped in theaters earlier this year and also received terrible reviews — holds a higher score with a C+.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently holds an audience score of <br>
<br>
31% and a critic score of 32%. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The sequel is projected to rake in less that $50 million at <br>
<br>
the domestic box office during the entirety of opening weekend, per The Hollywood Reporter. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Weeks ago, the movie had been projected to bring in around $70 <br>
<br>
million - but the number has since drastically dropped. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker (2019) notably opened with $96.2 million when the film first released in theaters - and eventually <br>
<br>
landed a little over $1 billion in the global box office. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The first movie - which was also directed by Todd Phillips <br>
<br>
- had a budget of between $55 and $70 million. However, the budget <br>
<br>
increased for Folie À Deux to around $200 million. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The 2019 movie garnered praise and positive reviews from both critics and audiences - and won the Golden Lion during the 76th Venice International Film Festival. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joaquin received an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of the Joker (Arthur Fleck) - and the film <br>
<br>
garnered an additional Academy Award for Best Original Score. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The sequel also screened during the Venice International Film Festival last month in September, where it <br>
<br>
earned a 12-minute standing ovation, per Deadline. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A source directly involved with the film said: 'No one could get through to <br>
<br>
Todd. And the one thing about genre stuff: If <br>
<br>
you don't listen and pay attention to what the fan expectations are, you're going to fail.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
However, audiences have since taken to X after the <br>
<br>
movie released in theaters on Friday - and shared their <br>
<br>
opinions on the sequel, which features musical sequences. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
One fan penned, 'Joaquin Phoenix don't deserve this.<br>
<br>
what happened to the script?' while another added, 'is <br>
<br>
it that bad,' followed by a crying face emoji. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Ironically I feel that a musical, if done well, could have been a good choice.<br>
<br>
It'd show how much of an unreliable narrator Fleck is,' one typed. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'But with some original songs, that keep everything vague, not just covers.<br>
<br>
Also when I heard of the ending I snorted fr.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A social media user wrote, 'Stop making sequels as musicals if the original wasn't a musical.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Maybe he [Phillips] only had an hour long movie, and <br>
<br>
decided to randomly add musical scenes to fill the runtime,' one <br>
<br>
penned. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Joker downfall really needs to be studied,' another shared, <br>
<br>
along with a monkey staring out a window. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
One fan said, 'the movie sucks. i had to walk out of the cinema,' while <br>
<br>
another penned, 'After years of disagreement....*Joker 2 releases* <br>
<br>
Critics [shaking hands] Audience.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
However, audiences have since taken to X after the movie released in theaters on Friday - and shared their opinions over the sequel, which was also a musical<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Ironically I feel that a musical, if done well, could have been a good choice.<br>
<br>
It'd show how much of an unreliable narrator Fleck is,' one typed<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'Joker downfall really needs to be studied,' another shared, <br>
<br>
along with a monkey staring out a window<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'That's way below what we expected,' one wrote in regards to the current Rotten Tomatoes scores.<br>
<br>
'People are saying this is the worst sequel ever.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A fan explained, 'yea this film was bad. it was pretentious and dull.<br>
<br>
has the aesthetic of an arthouse film without the <br>
<br>
substance.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'It also insults the audience's intelligence. the songs were also underwhelming too.<br>
<br>
they shouldn't have let this escape to theaters.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
One shared, 'The audience that loved the first movie is not the same audience running to <br>
<br>
see musicals. This was a gigantic mistake from step 1.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Phillips discussed whether he would be interested in making a third <br>
<br>
Joker film or a movie centered around Gaga's character. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'It's not really where this movie is headed <br>
<br>
for me. I feel like my time in the DC Universe was these two films.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Ahead of the movie's release, Lady Gaga also dropped an accompanying album titled Harlequin on September 27. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker: Folie À Deux has been branded the 'most <br>
<br>
disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' by critics, as they cast doubt <br>
<br>
on Lady Gaga's 'thin' role in the film following its release on Friday. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'That's way below what we expected,' one wrote in regards to the current Rotten Tomatoes scores.<br>
<br>
'People are saying this is the worst sequel ever'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
A fan explained, 'yea this film was bad. it was pretentious and dull.<br>
<br>
has the aesthetic of an arthouse film without the substance'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The 'bleak' sequel, has also received a tepid reception from fans,<br>
<br>
with some claiming Lady Gaga's career could be at risk.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
While the same director Todd Phillips was back in the hot seat, critics have said the <br>
<br>
sequel is just a 'repeat' of the first hit but with an added musical twist.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Most critics have said Todd failed to use Gaga correctly in the movie and <br>
<br>
claimed she was only bought in for the musical aspect of it.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
While the majority of critics say Joker: Folie À Deux didn't live up to expectations,<br>
<br>
others have dubbed the movie 'bold' and 'brilliant.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Daily Mail's Brian Viner commended the move as <br>
<br>
'bold' and 'brilliant' but said it lacked any thrill. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab said: 'Today Joker is best remembered as one of the most subversive and original films of the last decade, <br>
<br>
while its hugely anticipated sequel is just as bleak and formally <br>
<br>
daring as its predecessor'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Meanwhile, the Irish Times' Donald Clarke gave the movie just two <br>
<br>
stars but credited Phillips' work for making a sequel following the first movie's $1billion success.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Financial Times critic Danny Leigh said although Gaga worked hard to bump <br>
<br>
the ratings up in the sequel, Phillips appeared to <br>
<br>
have no idea what to do with her. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Giving a three star rating, The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw claimed the movie proves <br>
<br>
'claustrophobic' and 'repetitive.'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker: Folie À Deux has been branded the 'most disappointing follow-up to the Oscar-winning movie' by critics, as they cast doubt on Lady Gaga's <br>
<br>
'thin' role in the film following its release on Friday; <br>
<br>
seen in September in London <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Times' Kevin Maher wrote: 'The director Todd <br>
<br>
Phillips said there would be no follow-up to <br>
<br>
the original, but he changed his mind and the result is <br>
<br>
a derivative musical'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
'This might be the most disappointing follow-up to an Oscar-winning performance since Anthony Hopkins reworked his silky and <br>
<br>
terrifying Dr Lecter from for the campy, kitschy.' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Along with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, other stars that had appeared in the sequel include Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beatz <br>
<br>
and Steve Coogan. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joker: Folie à Deux has faced additional backlash from fans as they have claimed that Gaga is running the risk of losing her <br>
<br>
acting career. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Lady GagaJoaquin Phoenix<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
my webpage - ค่าจัดดอกไม้งานศพ <br>
<br>
( Colby - http://Lebbook.kz/user/JanellCorner/ )
Joker: Folie À Deux director