Joker: Folie à Deux flopped because making it a musical stripped away the grit and intensity that made the original a cultural hit.

The first Joker worked by being a grounded, raw exploration of Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness, captivating audiences with its psychological depth.

But Folie à Deux confused fans by introducing surreal musical sequences, clashing with the dark, grim tone that made the original so impactful. Instead of expanding on Fleck’s dark psyche, the film veered into flashy, out-of-place spectacle, alienating much of its core audience.

While Lady Gaga’s casting as Harley Quinn brought excitement, it couldn’t save a film so confused about its identity. The romantic subplot, paired with lavish musical numbers, undercut the psychological tension that had defined Joker.

Fans who were expecting another deep, character-driven narrative found themselves watching a movie unsure whether it was a musical, love story, or psychological thriller.

Adding insult to injury was the film’s massive $200 million budget, which created unrealistic financial expectations. Folie à Deux opened at a disappointing $50 million, well below the original Joker’s $96 million. The film needed strong legs to cover its costs, but its disjointed storytelling and alienated audience made that difficult.

The comparison to Cats is inescapable. Like Folie à Deux, Cats suffered from trying to impress with spectacle over substance, failing to resonate with audiences. Both films were expensive gambles, banking on visuals and star power to cover a lack of coherent, compelling narrative, and both missed the mark.

Folie à Deux lost sight of what made the first Joker resonate with audiences. It tried to be bigger and flashier but forgot that Joker succeeded by being dark, intimate, and unsettling. Instead of building on what worked, it sacrificed grit for spectacle—and the box office proved it.