'Joker 2: Folie à Deux' makes unwanted history as the full extent of box office disaster emerges
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The sequel to the Oscar-winning film 'Joker', called 'Joker: Folie à Deux', is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. After a lackluster opening weekend, where it made just $38 million—much lower than the expected $50 to $70 million—the movie has continued to struggle. In its second weekend, it brought in only $7 million, which marks an incredible 81% drop in revenue. This steep decline is now the worst ever recorded for a comic book movie and ranks among the top 20 biggest second-weekend drops in film history, according to Box Office Mojo.
So far, 'Joker: Folie à Deux' has earned around $165 million worldwide, but that's nowhere near its $200 million budget. In comparison, the first Joker film opened to a whopping $96.2 million and went on to make over $1 billion globally. It also set records for R-rated films and was well-received by critics. Unfortunately, the sequel has faced harsh criticism, with many calling it “boring” and “indulgent,” even though some praised Lady Gaga's performance. As the film fails to meet its target as well as expectations at the box office, let's take a look at 10 of the biggest flopped movies of all time.
10. Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
With its significant drop in box office earnings, 'Joker: Folie à Deux' has unfortunately found its place among the biggest flops in movie history. Initially seen as a sure hit following the success of the first 'Joker', the sequel has struggled to connect with audiences. Despite having a star cast, including Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, reviews have been tough, its massive budget of $200 million seems unreachable as it has only grossed around $165 million worldwide, serving as a warning to future sequels about the importance of audience engagement.
9. The Love Guru (2008)
Despite a star-studded cast that included Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, and Justin Timberlake, 'The Love Guru' was criticized for its lazy humor and reliance on stereotypes that felt outdated and offensive. Audiences didn’t connect with the disjointed plot, leading to a lack of interest. The film made only $40 million against a $62 million budget, which raised concerns about the future of comedies in Hollywood and left its mark as a glaring misstep for everyone involved.
8. Stealth (2005)
This action movie aimed to combine military technology with themes of artificial intelligence but fell short with its tired plot and underdeveloped characters. Critics were unimpressed, saying the film lacked the excitement viewers expect from action flicks. It had a hefty budget of $138 million but only grossed $76 million, making it a costly failure for Columbia Pictures. The film's disappointing performance prompted questions about the viability of military-themed movies in an ever-changing landscape.
7. Gigli (2003)
This romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck became notorious for its poor quality and lack of chemistry between its leads. The hype around the film was overshadowed by its unfunny script and overall lack of originality. With a production budget of $75 million, it only made around $7 million at the box office. Its failure has made it a case study in how not to produce a movie, impacting the careers of its stars and earning a spot in film history as one of the worst films ever made.
6. The Lone Ranger (2013)
Disney’s reboot of the classic Western faced many challenges, including high production costs and mixed messaging in its marketing. Viewers found it hard to connect with the story, which failed to capture the charm of the original series. Despite its big budget of $225 million, 'The Lone Ranger' only earned $89 million worldwide.
5. Cutthroat Island (1995)
Even though 'Cutthroat Island' had the promise of a thrilling pirate adventure, it was met with harsh reviews and a lack of audience interest. The film suffered from a confusing plot and uninteresting characters. After extensive delays and a high production cost of $98 million, it only managed to gross about $10 million. This enormous loss not only hurt the film’s stars, Geena Davis and Matthew Modine but also sent the pirate genre into a long hiatus in Hollywood until the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise took over.
4. Mars Needs Moms (2011)
This animated movie from Disney had a lot of potential but stumbled due to odd character designs that viewers found unsettling. The story didn’t resonate with families, and its marketing didn’t do enough to draw in an audience. With a budget of $150 million, Mars Needs Moms only made $39 million at the box office. The substantial loss led Disney to rethink its approach to motion-capture animation, effectively putting a halt to similar projects.
3. John Carter (2012)
This ambitious sci-fi adventure was based on Edgar Rice Burroughs's 'A Princess of Mars', but it faced many hurdles right from the start. Its marketing failed to connect with potential viewers, and many didn’t understand what the movie was about. Even with stunning visuals and a big budget of $250 million, it only earned $73 million in the US. The massive loss—over $200 million for Disney—made John Carter one of the biggest flops ever, making studios wary of taking big risks on lesser-known stories.
2. The 13th Warrior (1999)
Based on Michael Crichton's 'Eaters of the Dead', this film had trouble capturing audience interest due to poor marketing and a weak star lineup. Its production faced numerous challenges and reworkings, leading to a jumbled narrative that left viewers confused. Critics criticized it for dragging on without engaging characters, and despite costing $160 million, it only made $61 million globally. Its failure left a stain on the production company, Disney, and raised questions about big-budget adaptations.
1. The Tuxedo (2002)
Jackie Chan stars in 'The Tuxedo', which tried to mix action and comedy with a magical tuxedo that gives its wearer superpowers. Unfortunately, the movie struggled with a confusing plot and lacked the special effects needed to impress audiences. Despite Chan’s popularity, the jokes didn’t land well, and critics weren’t kind, saying it felt uninspired. The film had a budget of $60 million but only managed to pull in $32 million, leaving it a financial mess and affecting Chan’s reputation in Hollywood.