One of 2024’s biggest disappointments in movie theaters will soon be able to try and redeem itself in your homes. Before you and yours get into the holiday spirit on Christmas Day, Joker: Folie à Deux will be available to stream on Max on December 13.
Released on October 4, Todd Phillips’ misguided musical sequel to 2019’s Joker film will also make its debut on HBO’s cable channel on December 14 at 8 p.m. ET. There is no word yet on whether the streaming version of Joker: Folie à Deux will come with any extra content, like behind-the-scenes videos, cast interviews, or a Director’s Cut that can make better sense of this confusingly bad film. On the bright side for this movie, there are a few examples of films gaining new life in streaming.
DC Films’ Suicide Squad was a box office smash, grossing over $749 million worldwide, but was maligned by critics for its inconsistent plot, Batman’s pervy kiss on Harley Quinn, and some of the most confusing powers. Luckily, its commercial success at the box office carried over to streaming, where it became the most watched DC film on Max. Similarly, Pixar’s Lightyear film reportedly lost $106 million when it was released in 2022 and subsequently went on to be the most streamed movie on any streaming service during the week of August 7. There’s hope that this DC dud will become a cult favorite thanks to the world of streaming, and it’ll need it.
Soon after it premiered in theaters, reports surfaced the film could lose between $150 million-$200 million, a massive loss compared to its predecessor, which became the first R-rated film to gross over $1 billion. Maybe when we’re able to watch this movie from the comfort of our couches, with a few adult beverages in our system, and still going through The Penguin withdrawals, we’ll finally see this movie for the masterpiece it could be. But, chances are, it’ll be background noise for those who need to keep the TV on to go to bed.
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