Joker: Folie a Deuxreceived a phenomenal 11-minute (or 12 depending on which report you believe) standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, but its lead star did not stick around to see the end of it. According to a video shared on X/Twitter byVariety,Joaquin Phoenixwasn’t waiting to hear the applause fade away and left the auditorium while the ovation was still ongoing. Meanwhile, his co-star, Lady Gaga, blew kisses at the rapturous crowd throughout one of the longest ovations at this year’s festival.
Currently, it is unclear exactly why Phoenix exited the auditorium while the applause was still ongoing, as the very short clip has very little context to go on. However, the puzzled looks of some of those nearby suggest that they did not expect to see the star of the movie departing while still being bestowed with one of this year’s festival’s longest shows of appreciation. Meanwhile, his co-star, Lady Gaga, blew kisses at the rapturous crowd throughout one of the longest ovations at this year’s festival.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips' critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.
It is possible that Phoenix will address his reasons for leaving the party early in due course, but in the meantime, those present at the event have been sharing their views on what has been a highly anticipated sequel to one of the biggest R-rated movies of all time. While some believed thatJoker: Folie à Deuxwould be able to compete withDeadpool & Wolverineto be the biggest R-rated movie of 2024, that is something that is now in doubt.
What Are Critics Saying About Joker: Folie à Deux?
TheJokersequel has been receiving mixed reviews on the back of its premiere, with many calling the movie “boring,” which is not something that came across in the trailers. However, Todd Phillips' original movie was a slow-burn drama rather than the kind of big, brash superhero outing that audiences are used to when it comes to the iconic Batman villain. Despite the musical elements andinclusion of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, perhaps some critics had been expecting much more fantastical sequences than Phillips delivered.
It is clear that the different direction ofJoker: Folie à Deuxhas not impressed everyone, and has led many to view the sequel as being much more disjointed than the character-driven original movie. Clocking it at almost two-and-a-quarter hours, the unanimous verdict seems to suggest that the movie could have been shortened to an EP rather than a full-length album.
Joker: Folie à Deux Isn’t a Musical, According to Director Todd Phillips
“I just don’t want people to think that it’s like In the Heights.”
That being said, no one is really denying that the film has two solid performances from Phoenix and Gaga, and it is a unique viewing experience to boot. Whether this will be enough to allow it to reach the $1 billion heights of its predecessor is something that will be discovered when the film is released worldwide on October 4.
