Legendary comic book artist Todd McFarlane has shared his thoughts on Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux, the 2024 DC film that received a dismal 32% Rotten Tomatoes score. McFarlane also proposed a way to enhance the movie which was widely panned by both critics and audiences.
Joker: Folie à Deux faced criticism for its musical numbers and changes in the titular character’s motivations, among other issues. Despite the initial success of Joker five years prior, this sequel flopped at the box office.
Todd McFarlane, known for his work on Batman: Year Two and Spider-Man, talked to Screen Rant about the film. He acknowledged the critiques it received and believed certain parts could be rearranged to create a more coherent movie. McFarlane playfully offered to edit the film himself, stating he thought there was a “hybrid” within it that could work with enough alterations.
What do McFarlane’s comments on Joker 2 mean? The film was divisive as it pulled in multiple directions. It continued Arthur Fleck’s story but sidelined his Joker persona and had him abandon it. Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn was introduced but lost significance later. The musical numbers didn’t appeal to non-musical fans and didn’t stand out either.
Joker: Folie à Deux could have been more impactful with a streamlined script and additional editing. Filmmaking often requires numerous tweaks from development to post-production, and this film was no exception.
Our take is that Todd Phillips likely had significant creative freedom given the film’s $200-million budget and its many conflicting elements. While his vision was valid, it proved controversial and the film fell short of expectations. This shows that big-budget blockbusters need a balance between the director’s creativity and some restraint from the studios to meet audience expectations and offer fresh takes on the genre.
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