Muscat: Despite boasting a star-studded cast, including Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux opened with a lackluster $7 million in box office previews. This figure pales in comparison to the original Joker, which raked in an impressive $13.3 million during its preview screenings in 2019.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Warner Bros. sequel is projected to earn between $50 million and $65 million in its opening weekend. For context, the first Joker film debuted with a staggering $96.2 million, crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide and earning the title of the highest-grossing R-rated film in history.

While early reviews praise Phoenix and Gaga’s performances, the film’s storyline has reportedly fallen short of audience expectations, leading to skepticism about its box office longevity.

In India, where Joker: Folie à Deux was released a few days earlier on October 2, the movie had a decent start but has already experienced a notable drop in earnings, with only ₹7.75 crore (approximately ₹77.7 million) reported so far. It earned ₹1.35 crore (₹13.5 million) on October 4 and slightly less at ₹1.25 crore (₹12.5 million) on the following days.