Originally published February 21, 2024. Updated February 22, 2024.
How does one of Warner Bros most affordable blockbusters become as expensive as a Justice League film?
That’s why the film industry is trying to figure out as reports drop that the Joker: Folie à Deux budget has “ballooned” to around $200 million, a massive increase from the $60 million cost of the first film.
Variety broke the story that Joker: Folie à Deux has a whopping budget now, with no actual reasoning given for the jump, although one of the significant factors could be the actors involved. While franchise newcomer Lady Gaga lands a $12 million payday for the sequel, the Academy Award-winning Joaquin Phoenix saw an increase from the original modest $6 million to an extravagant $20 million.
SEE ALSO: Joker: Folie à Deux will be “really surprising”
Warner seems reasonably confident in the project as 2019’s Joker ended with a $1 billion run at the global box office. But will the same passionate fanbase return for this new outing with this sequel adding Lady Gaga and having a slight musical element?
The first trailer/teaser is being released in mid-April, per director Todd Phillips.
Joaquin Phoenix reprises his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, along with Zazie Beetz’s Sophie, while other new additions to the cast for the sequel include Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) as Harley Quinn and Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin), Harry Lawtey (Industry), Catherine Keener (The Adam Project), and Jacob Lofland (Mud) in as-yet-unrevealed roles.
Joker: Folie À Deux is slated to release on October 4th, 2024.
