Folie a Dex Declines Test Screenings Despite Warner Bros’ $200 Million Gamble, Report Reveals

Despite the expensive budget of Joker: Folie a Deux
A new report claims that Warner Bros. has elected not to hold any test sessions for its latest comic book film. The first Joker was a stunning success for Warner Bros. and DC. The villain origin movie grossed over $1 billion and was the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time until recently passed by Deadpool & Wolverine. While the first movie was originally meant to be a one-off, a sequel was green-lit because the studio wanted to bank on the franchise’s success.

Part of which was the first Joker So profitable is its low budget of $55 million. Warner Bros. has more faith Given Joker 2 A budget of $200 million. The studio took many risks with the film because it is also a musical, a strange but bold choice for a follow-up to a global success. According to a report on Matt Belloni’s pack newsletterWarner Bros. may have had too much faith in its ambition as it declined test screenings, despite the film’s massive price tag.

Despite the risqué musical element and dry courtroom sequences, I’m told that Warners declined to screen test Folie à Deux to get audience feedback before Phillips locked down the film. That’s quite a tightrope to walk on the studio’s most expensive movie of the year.

Test screenings aren’t always the most reliable tools for studios to predict a film’s success, but it’s also hard to avoid them. The first Joker Was a hit, but there is no guarantee that the sequel will be as successful, especially if the audience does not like it. Based on early results, and the reaction to Joker: Folie à Deuxs controversial ending, Warner Bros.’ decision to cancel test screenings could cost the studio millions.

What Joker: Folie à Deux’s declined test screenings mean for the movie

Poor word-of-mouth for Joker 2 may keep viewers away from theaters

As mentioned earlier, test screenings can lead to mixed results. For example, early test screenings for The bottle were incredibly positive, but the reception of the film when it was released was mixed and the film ultimately flopped. Since Warner Bros. declined test screenings for Joker 2They are at the mercy of critics and audience word-of-mouth, which, so far, is leading to disastrous results.

Joker: Folie à Deux Is not off to a hot start. The film only earned $7 million from its Thursday night previews, almost 50% less than the original, and word of mouth is terrible to put it mildly. Joker 2 Currently has a 36% critic score and a strikingly low 36% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This indicates that the sequel will not have big box office legs, as poor word-of-mouth means many hesitant viewers will likely avoid it. Warner Bros.’ decision to avoid test screenings is currently backfired and could lead to another DC box office flop.

Our Take on Joker: Folie à Deux Not Test Screenings

Warner Bros could lose millions by not getting early audience feedback

Test screenings are not necessary for every movie, but it was a bad decision for Joker: Folie à Deux to dismiss them. While the first Joker It was a success, it was not loved by everyone and polarized audiences when it first appeared. Joker 2 Is an even bigger move than the first, decided to add musical elements in the film. This type of bold filmmaking needs to be assessed by audiences before being finalized because early reactions may have indicated to the studio whether it works.

Many films often have reshoots or rackets after poor test screenings, and Joker 2 Could have used another look. Many of the musical numbers are unnecessary to the film’s narrative, and many critics and audiences agree that they could be trimmed down. Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn is also surprisingly underutilized in the film and test screenings may have led to reshoots that added more of her to the film. Surprisingly, the studio that canceled Batgirl Did not want more comments on Joker: Folie à Deux Before its release, and that decision is leading to potentially disastrous consequences.

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