Joker 2 eyes $50 million opening at US box office

The highly anticipated sequel, '

Joker

:

Folie a Deux

', debuted in the US on Thursday, earning an estimated $7 million from preview shows.
The film, a follow-up to the Oscar-nominated 'Joker' (2019), is looking to secure an opening weekend

box office

between $45 million and $50 million, though it may struggle to match the success of its predecessor.

The original 'Joker' stunned the industry with a global box office haul of $1.07 billion from a modest $65 million budget.

However, 'Folie a Deux' with a significantly higher production cost of $200 million and has not garnered the same level of critical acclaim or good buzz. The first film earned $13.3 million in Thursday previews, leading to a $96.2 million opening weekend, setting a high bar for the sequel.

Early predictions suggest '

Joker 2

' may fall short of this mark, with estimates pointing to a $20 million Friday, potentially leading to a weekend gross closer to $45 million-$50 million. At the current rate, the film is being compared to '

The Marvels

', which opened with $6.6 million in previews, a first-day total of $21.6 million, and a disappointing $46.1 million over its opening weekend.
There are concerns that negative word-of-mouth and bad reviews pouring in on social media could result in a sharp drop in ticket sales at the box office.

The film continues the story of

Arthur Fleck

, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, who is perceived to be the notorious

Batman villain

, Joker. The sequel introduces Lady Gaga stars as

Harley Quinn

, Joker's infamous partner in crime, adding a musical dimension to the film, which distinguishes it from the original's darker, psychological tone.