"Joker" sequel opens in China with meager turnout amid polarized reviews

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Warner Bros.' "Joker: Folie à Deux" opened in China on Wednesday with a modest gross of around 9 million yuan (about 1.26 million U.S. dollars), according to box office tracker Maoyan.

The film's lackluster performance stands in stark contrast to the high anticipation that once surrounded the sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 hit "Joker," and mirrors the lukewarm reception it received in the United States, where it premiered 12 days earlier. Its Rotten Tomatoes score currently sits at a disappointing 32 percent.

"Joker: Folie à Deux" has received a 5.9 out of 10 rating on China's popular review platform Douban. Audience reactions have been deeply divided, with some criticizing the film for failing to live up to its predecessor, while others have praised it as a deconstruction of the Joker character, even calling it an "anti-Joker movie."

Maoyan projects the film to close its China box office run with a total of around 67 million yuan, a far cry from the numbers typically expected of a major Hollywood release.

As China's entertainment landscape continues to diversify, Hollywood films have seen their appeal wane among Chinese audiences, no longer the guaranteed box office draws they were a decade ago.

This year, eight of the top 10 earners currently at China's box office are domestic titles. "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" is the only American title to crack the top 10, ranking ninth with 956 million yuan. ■