Pop music icon and acclaimed actress Lady Gaga recently broke her silence regarding the critical and public backlash to her latest cinematic venture, "Joker: Folie à Deux." In this sequel, Gaga took on the role of a more grounded version of the iconic DC villain, Harley Quinn, and further immersed herself in the project by releasing a companion album titled "Harlequin." Despite the film's release last October, Gaga had remained quiet about its reception until she shared her thoughts in an interview with Elle. She discussed managing the negativity by setting realistic expectations and embracing the unpredictable nature of artistic endeavors.
"People just sometimes don’t like some things," Gaga stated. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it. And you keep going even if something didn’t connect in the way that you intended."
"Joker: Folie à Deux," a follow-up to director Todd Phillips' highly successful 2019 film, received a lukewarm response upon its premiere. The movie currently holds a disappointing 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. Our own review gave it a 5/10, describing it as a "mediocre" film that squandered its potential across multiple genres, including as a musical, a courtroom drama, and a sequel that added little to the original "Joker." The film's theatrical run was short-lived, quickly transitioning to a digital release, with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav later labeling its performance as "disappointing."
Gaga reflected on the impact of such a reception, noting, "When that makes its way into your life, that can be hard to get control of. It’s part of the mayhem."
Despite the setback with "Joker: Folie à Deux," Lady Gaga is not slowing down. She recently announced the release of her new studio album, "Mayhem," scheduled for this March. This marks the end of a five-year hiatus since her last full-length release, "Chromatica." For more insights into "Joker: Folie à Deux," you can explore why Quentin Tarantino praised the sequel and why Hideo Kojima believes its reception may shift over time. Additionally, our list of the biggest disappointments of 2024 is available here.
