Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A release date for the digital release of Joker 2 has been announced.
The news comes after the long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning original, largely panned at the box office and was deemed a flop by critics.
Released less than a fortnight ago on 4 October, Joker: Folie à Deux sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck, with Lady Gaga joining the cast as Dr Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn.
Early reviews of the film following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival last month were mixed, with more negative reviews emerging.
Currently, it has an early Rotten Tomatoes rating of 33 per cent from critics, and a paltry 32 per cent audience score based on over 5,000 verified views.
The original film grossed over $1b at the box office when it was released in 2019, while its sequel appears to be struggling to recoup the $190m to £200m budget it cost to make. The film has made a reported $120m to date.
The digital release of Joker 2 will be available on digital platforms as of 29 October, less than a month after the film’s opening in cinemas.
In comparison, the original film was not available on streaming platforms until 2 months after its release.
However, the movie’s creators may point to comparatively successful titles such as Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2, which also had a speedy transition to Prime Video in the US, a month after its debut in cinemas.
The movie, starring Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega, jolted the box office upon its release, grossing $400m worldwide to date.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joker: Folie à Deux is the first Hollywood comic book movie to earn a D CinemaScore from opening day audiences.
The Independent was less negative than other publications, with film critic Geoffrey Macnab awarding it four stars in a review that reads: “The darkness at the core of the film is underlined by its very brutal ending, which rejects comic book conventions in favour of psychological depth.
“Phoenix’s performance remains powerful and stirring, too. The genius of it is that we can’t help but care for Arthur despite his neediness and derangement.”
Joker: Folie à Deux is out in cinemas now.
