Did Bradley Cooper’s Absence Impact the Success of ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’?

The release of Joker: Folie à Deux has been met with disappointing box office numbers and mixed reviews, if we’re being kind. If we’re being honest, we’d say box office has been disastrous and the reviews have been toxic. On paper, this looks like a shock given how successful its predecessor was. But we need to examine why that is. Well, there’s maybe one reason, and it’s one you might not have realised. While the sequel brought back the original individuals like Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips, there was one person missing from the production team that many may have missed: Bradley Cooper.

Well, that begs the question of what does Bradley Cooper have to do with Joker? Variety reports that Cooper, who had years of working with Phillips, including their work on A Star Is Born and, of course, The Hangover films, served as a producer on the original Joker. The movie was produced on a very modest budget of $60 million, and it became a surprise smash, earning over $1.1 billion worldwide and netting Phoenix an Oscar for his performance as Arthur Fleck. The general feeling was Cooper’s influence was really important in making Joker a hit. His focus on storytelling based around characters, and careful attention to what audiences like, semeed to be considered crucial in keeping that delicate balancing act of the movie’s very dark elements with a more commercial appeal.

Why Did Bradley Cooper Not Work on ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’?

Phillips and Cooper had collaborated in their production company, Joint Effort on a number of projects. Cooper had signed a six-year deal with Warner Bros. to produce films for the studio, and that deal expired in 2019, at which point Cooper and Phillips parted ways. Cooper then set up his own company, Lea Pictures, which was behind his Oscar nominated film for Netflix, Maestro. The absence of Cooper from the production staff seems like it may have worked as a domino effect on the way creative was handled on the movie. The film’s switch towards a musical tone and a courtroom drama, meshed with fantasy elements, was massively alienating to critics and audiences. Additionally, the decision to almost publicly deny the film was a musical was harmful too.

While Joker: Folie à Deux brought in another big name, Lady Gaga, as Harley Quinn, her inclusion, and the narrative re-direct the film took, seemed to put off audiences who were expecting more of the same of the dark, gritty tone of the original. It seemed like the movie was less concerned with meeting expectations, and instead, delivering on a story that Phoenix claimed came to him in a dream, as reported by THR.

While Phillips and Phoenix took a bold swing, which is admirable in itself, it seems that the absence of Cooper’s steady hands may have inadvertently cost the film in the long run. His ability to balance creative risks with audience expectations could have proved pivotal, but for now, it’s a case of “what if?” for disappointed viewers.

Joker: Folie á Deux is playing in theaters now.

Joker: Folie a Deux continues the story of Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, as he navigates life after being institutionalized at Arkham State Hospital. Lady Gaga joins the cast as Harley Quinn, a music therapist who becomes romantically involved with Arthur. The film explores their chaotic relationship and is set in a unique musical format.

Release Date

October 4, 2024

Cast

Joaquin Phoenix , Lady Gaga , Brendan Gleeson , Catherine Keener , Zazie Beetz , Steve Coogan , Harry Lawtey , Leigh Gill , Jacob Lofland , Sharon Washington , Troy Fromin , Bill Smitrovich , John Lacy , Ken Leung

Runtime

138 Minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

Todd Phillips , Scott Silver , Bob Kane , Paul Dini , Bill Finger , bruce timm , Jerry Robinson

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