Warner Bros. Heavy Hitters Insist 'Joker 2' Was Ahead of Its Time, Despite Fan Backlash
In a bold statement, Warner Bros. CEO Pamela Abdy and chairperson Michael De Luca have come to the defense of Todd Phillips' highly divisive sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux. The film, which received widespread criticism from fans and critics alike, was met with lukewarm reception at the box office. However, Abdy and De Luca insist that the film's boldness and originality were ahead of its time.
"It was really revisionist," De Luca said in an interview with The Wrap. "It may be that it was too revisionist for a global mainstream audience, but I thought Todd and his screenwriting partner Scott Silver did the thing that most people making sequels don’t do, which is they decided to not repeat themselves."
Abdy echoed De Luca's sentiments, adding, "I really liked the movie. I still do." The Warner Bros. bosses seemed to be brushing off the criticisms of the film, with Abdy stating that she didn't let the negative reception affect her opinion of the movie.
On the other hand, Joaquin Phoenix's co-star Lady Gaga was more candid about the film's reception. "People just sometimes don’t like some things," she told Elle in 2025. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it."
Not everyone shares this sentiment, however. Death Stranding developer and noted cinephile Hideo Kojima believes that Joker: Folie à Deux will grow on audiences over time. "Over the next 10 or 20 years, this film’s reputation will likely change along with the permeation of hero movies to come," he wrote.
Quentin Tarantino also came to Phillips' defense in a 2024 interview with The Wrap. "The Joker directed the movie," Tarantino said. "He is the Joker." Tarantino praised Phillips for his bold and subversive approach to the film, which he believes was a middle finger to execs and comic book fans.
In contrast, io9 reviewer stood firm in their criticism of the film. The reviewer wrote, "It just sucked."
As it stands, Warner Bros.' stance on Folie à Deux is at odds with that of the general public. However, it's clear that Abdy and De Luca are committed to defending the film's artistic vision. Whether or not the film will ultimately grow on audiences remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – Todd Phillips' bold approach has sparked a heated debate about what makes a successful sequel.
In a bold statement, Warner Bros. CEO Pamela Abdy and chairperson Michael De Luca have come to the defense of Todd Phillips' highly divisive sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux. The film, which received widespread criticism from fans and critics alike, was met with lukewarm reception at the box office. However, Abdy and De Luca insist that the film's boldness and originality were ahead of its time.
"It was really revisionist," De Luca said in an interview with The Wrap. "It may be that it was too revisionist for a global mainstream audience, but I thought Todd and his screenwriting partner Scott Silver did the thing that most people making sequels don’t do, which is they decided to not repeat themselves."
Abdy echoed De Luca's sentiments, adding, "I really liked the movie. I still do." The Warner Bros. bosses seemed to be brushing off the criticisms of the film, with Abdy stating that she didn't let the negative reception affect her opinion of the movie.
On the other hand, Joaquin Phoenix's co-star Lady Gaga was more candid about the film's reception. "People just sometimes don’t like some things," she told Elle in 2025. "It’s that simple. And I think to be an artist, you have to be willing for people to sometimes not like it."
Not everyone shares this sentiment, however. Death Stranding developer and noted cinephile Hideo Kojima believes that Joker: Folie à Deux will grow on audiences over time. "Over the next 10 or 20 years, this film’s reputation will likely change along with the permeation of hero movies to come," he wrote.
Quentin Tarantino also came to Phillips' defense in a 2024 interview with The Wrap. "The Joker directed the movie," Tarantino said. "He is the Joker." Tarantino praised Phillips for his bold and subversive approach to the film, which he believes was a middle finger to execs and comic book fans.
In contrast, io9 reviewer stood firm in their criticism of the film. The reviewer wrote, "It just sucked."
As it stands, Warner Bros.' stance on Folie à Deux is at odds with that of the general public. However, it's clear that Abdy and De Luca are committed to defending the film's artistic vision. Whether or not the film will ultimately grow on audiences remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – Todd Phillips' bold approach has sparked a heated debate about what makes a successful sequel.
I mean, come on, who needs more criticism when you've got people from Warner Bros defending a film that bombed at the box office? Like, Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca are just trying to save face here 
. Their "it was ahead of its time" nonsense is just that - nonsense 
. Joaquin Phoenix's co-star Lady Gaga seems like the only one being genuine about it all, saying people don't always like things and that being an artist means taking risks 
.
. And Quentin Tarantino's just being his usual obnoxious self, praising Phillips for his "bold and subversive approach" like that's a good thing 
. Can we get some more nuanced discussion on this? Or am I stuck here arguing with people who just want to defend their buddies 
I think it's cool that Warner Bros is standin' by their artist tho 
. Like, what if ppl didn't like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings when they first came out? Would we still watch 'em today? 
. I mean, some people are saying it was ahead of its time, but honestly, I think it's just a case of creators being really, really confident in their vision 
. Newsflash: sometimes that confidence can come across as arrogance or even just plain confusing 
. For me, it's like they took a beloved character and turned him into some sort of anti-hero nightmare 
.
the problem is that sometimes they forget its fans who actually care about the franchise 
but hey, to each their own, if warch Bros thinks joker 2 was ahead of its time, i guess thats all that matters 
.
. And Lady Gaga's quote is pretty fair - not everyone's gonna like every movie, and artists gotta take risks to make something new.
. He knows his stuff and Todd Phillips did something bold with that film. It's just... it's not for everybody, you know? And io9's review was pretty spot on - "it just sucked" is a fair assessment 
. It's not always easy to make a sequel that people will love, but I guess they did something right... or at least, they're trying 
. But hey, I guess that's the beauty of art – what one person hates, another person will love 
I kinda feel for them.
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