Joker: Folie a Deux Box Office Collection – Week 1 Report Card for Joaquin Phoenix’s Film

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_{Director Todd Phillips' ambitious film Joker: Folie à Deux has been struggling to rake in good numbers at the box office. Headlined by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the musical thriller released in the theatres on October 2 in India. After a promising start on its opening day, the movie failed to keep momentum. On Day 7, Joker: Folie à Deux minted  ₹59 lakh (USD 70,182) at the ticket window in the domestic sector, reported Sacnilk.}

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_{With this, the total collection now stands at ₹12.05 crore (USD 1434912). The film had an overall 7.22% English occupancy on its first Tuesday (October 8), the report added.}

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_{Joker: Folie à Deux is the second part of the 2019 blockbuster Joker. Apart from the lead cast, Brendan Gleeson, Zazie Beetz and Catherine Keener are also a part of the project.}

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_{Joker: Folie à Deux marks the return of the twisted comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) aka Joker with Lady Gaga essaying the role of his muse Harley Quinn. Last month, the makers dropped a fresh poster of the film on Instagram, sparking intrigue among viewers. The trailer mostly focused on Arthur and Harley's unique equation inside the  Arkham Asylum. The actors were seen under the clear sky, dressed as their characters.  "The world is a stage” read the text on the poster.}

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_{Previously, Joaquin Phoenix remembered the time he sang in front of Lady Gaga, who is also a well-known singer. They collaborated on a musical that was to be featured in Joker: Folie à Deux. Joaquin revealed, “I do seem to remember her spitting up coffee the first time I sang, so that felt good, that was exciting, and made me feel confident. Gaga was always very encouraging of just, 'Go with what you feel, it's fine'” as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.}

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_{Joaquin Phoenix bagged the Best Actor Award at the 92nd Academy Awards for Joker. The movie revolved around failed comedian Arthur Fleck who slowly turned into a maniac and changed the fate of Gotham City, committing a series of crimes. Veteran actor Robert De Niro also had a cameo appearance.}

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{Spoiler: This story contains major spoilers for Joker: Folie à Deux}

_{Joker: Folie à Deux’s director, Todd Phillips, explained the shocking end of the sequel. The film which disappointed fans and the box office on its opening weekend ended on a shocking note with Joker’s death. The murder trial at the centre of the film ended explosively when a bomb detonated, destroying the courtroom. Arthur Fleck had chosen to defend himself and confessed that the Joker was not a split personality, instead, he claimed it had always been him. He admitted to being guilty of the murders for which he was on trial.}

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Joker director explains the shocking end

_{Phillips told Entertainment Tonight, “He realised that everything is so corrupt, it’s never going to change, and the only way to fix it is to burn it all down,” when asked about Arthur admitting to all his sins in the film.}

_{The director further explained, “When those guards kill that kid in the [hospital] he realizes that dressing up in makeup, putting on this thing, it’s not changing anything. In some ways, he’s accepted the fact that he’s always been Arthur Fleck; he’s never been this thing that’s been put upon him, this idea that Gotham people put on him, that he represents.” He added, “He’s an unwitting icon. This thing was placed on him, and he doesn’t want to live as a fake anymore — he wants to be who he is.”}

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Harley Quinn and Joker’s relationship

_{In the sequel, she spends most of her time trying to provoke him to bring out the Joker personality. She desired Arthur’s mind to be completely overtaken by the Joker persona. To trigger this she never calls him Arthur in the entire film until their very last encounter when she is about to leave him because she realised that the Joker does not exist anymore. Phillips pointed out, “The sad thing is, he’s Arthur, and nobody cares about Arthur. [She’s] realizing, ‘I’m on a whole other trip, man. You can’t be what I wanted you to be.'”}

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_{He also clarified the theories on social media of the scene between Harley and Joker being the latter’s imagination. The director said it was not a figment of Arthur’s imagination but that’s “Actually, really happening,” as reported by Variety.}

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