It seems Warner Bros. isn’t done spending obscene amounts of money on DC movies! The budget for Joker 2 has been revealed, and it rivals even that of The Flash.
The original Joker movie was a surprise hit for Warner Bros. and DC. The film grossed over $1 billion at the box office on a meager $60 million budget and even earned Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar for Best Actor. This success seemingly convinced the studio to go all in on the sequel, with the DC film sporting a budget of $200 million, with $20 million of that being a direct payday to Phoenix. Lady Gaga is also getting a massive payday at $12 million for her role as Harley Quinn.
It’s no secret that Warner Bros., along with most other major studios, have been ballooning budgets for tentpole releases. From The Flash to Indiana Jones, almost every blockbuster is costing at least nine digits, if not more. Yet with the box office for most films (not just comic book movies!) still being down and sequels typically earning less than the originals, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Joker 2 to recoup its budget.
What can audiences expect from the Joker sequel?
After the first film ended with Arthur Fleck in Arkham State Hospital, it’s likely that – as in previous iterations – Harleen Quinzel will start out as the Joker’s psychiatrist. Plot details are being kept under wraps but a significant chunk of the sequel is expected to take place within Arkham.
Todd Phillips is directing Joker: Folie à Deux from a script he co-wrote alongside Scott Silver, who also worked on the original. The cast of Folie à Deux also features Brendan Gleeson, Zazie Beetz, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland and Harry Lawtey.
The first Joker movie is currently available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD and digital formats. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the sequel and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
Source: Variety
