AceShowbiz - "Joker: Folie a Deux" debuted to a muted $40 million at the box office over the weekend, according to studio estimates. This is a significant drop from its predecessor's $96.2 million opening in 2019. Despite the sequel's creative team remaining the same, reviews have been mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes scores dropping from 63% at its premiere to 33% by its first weekend.

Audience reviews have also been lackluster, with a D CinemaScore and meager half star out of five from PostTrak. Experts believe that the sequel's reported high budget, estimated at twice that of the first film, may have contributed to its underperformance.

Internationally, "Joker: Folie a Deux" earned $81.1 million, bringing its global total to $121.1 million. However, this is still below expectations. Lionsgate's "White Bird" also flopped, earning just $1.5 million domestically.

Analysts speculate that the decision to make the sequel a musical may have alienated fans of the original film. Director Todd Phillips has defended his approach, comparing it to his previous work "The Hangover". Critics have also praised the film, including Francis Ford Coppola.

Meanwhile, DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot" continues to perform well at the box office, earning $18.7 million in its second weekend. Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" and Paramount's "Transformers One" have also been successful, holding onto their top five positions.

Top 10 of North American Box Office (Oct. 04-06, 2024):

1. "Joker: Folie a Deux" - $40 million
2. "The Wild Robot" - $18.7 million
3. "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" - $10.3 million
4. "Transformers One" - $5.4 million
5. "Speak No Evil" - $4.3 million
6. "Sam and Colby: The Legends of the Paranormal" - $1.8 million
7. "White Bird" - $1.53 million
8. "Deadpool & Wolverine" - $1.5 million
9. "The Substance" - $1.3 million
10. "Megalopolis" - $1 million