As the 'Joker' sequel is critically panned and the box office estimation doesn't look good, James Gunn makes it clear that the movie has nothing to do with the DC Universe he's about to launch.
- October 7, 2024
AceShowbiz - Despite positive early buzz, "Joker: Folie a Deux" has been poorly received since its Venice premiere. According to CinemaScore, the film is considered the worst comic book movie ever. Critics have panned the story and musical elements, with the consensus being that the sequel fails to meet expectations.
This critical and commercial flop comes as a disappointment after a disastrous 2023 for DC. Warner Bros. Discovery had hoped that "Folie a Deux" would help turn things around ahead of the crucial 2025 launch of a new DCU helmed by James Gunn and Peter Safran.
New DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has since taken to social media to distance himself and his projects from the critically panned sequel. In response to a fan who wonder "why there's no DC Studios logo on Joker: Folie a Deux," Gunn bluntly wrote, "Because it’s not a DC Studios film."
"I get why they would think that. They know Penguin is DC Studios, and The Batman 2 is. All future films with DC characters will be DC Studios," he continued.
Director Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver have also stated that "Folie à Deux" is not directly part of the DCU, emphasizing that it was launched before Gunn and his co-CEO Peter Safran joined the studio.
