Lady Gaga Comments on Joker 2's Mixed Reception

One of the most talked-about movies of 2024 is Joker: Folie à Deux. In this sequel to the acclaimed 2019 film Joker, Lady Gaga takes on the role of Harley "Lee" Quinzel, the complex partner of Joaquin Phoenix's character, Arthur Fleck. Unfortunately, Folie à Deux faced significant backlash, receiving poor reviews and performing inadequately at the box office.

In a recent interview with Elle, Gaga shared her thoughts on the film's disappointing outcome.

“People just sometimes don’t like some things,” she said. “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.”

Gaga further expressed that handling criticism can be a challenge for any artist. “When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem,” she explained.

Set two years after the events of the first film, Folie à Deux introduces Arthur as a patient at Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial for his previous crimes. There, he meets Lee, a woman who idolizes the Joker. This sequel incorporates musical elements and dance numbers that reveal more about Arthur's true self.

When the original Joker was released in 2019, it became a massive hit, raking in over $1 billion and amassing 11 Oscar nominations, with two wins for Best Actor (Phoenix) and Best Original Score (Hildur Guðnadóttir).

In contrast, Joker: Folie à Deux did not achieve such success. The sequel earned a poor “D” CinemaScore, marking it as the lowest-ever rating for a comic book film. It grossed approximately $207 million worldwide against a budget of nearly $200 million, leading to significant financial losses for Warner Bros., estimated at between $150 million and $200 million.

For those interested, Joker: Folie à Deux is currently available for streaming on Max.

Lady, Gaga, Joker