According to insiders, Warner Bros. invested in the film “Joker: Madness for Two” (Joker: Folie à Deux) approximately 200 million dollars (previously reported about 150 million).
$20 million of this amount is intended for the leading actor Joaquin Phoenix, and another 12 million for his on-screen partner Lady Gaga.
Let us remember that the budget of the first “Joker” by Todd Phillips was $60 million, and its fees ultimately exceeded $1 billion. The sequel is called a musical, and this is not always good for the box office. Joker: Madness for Two will hit theaters on October 4.
In addition, insiders spoke about the management meeting Warner Bros. Pictures with Tom Cruise. It discussed projects with the possible participation of the actor within the framework of an agreement recently concluded between the parties.
The conversation brought up the Edge of Tomorrow sequel, as well as The Film Critic, directed by Quentin Tarantino. The latter is not yet tied to a specific distributor. Warner Bros. is vying for this role, but Sony Pictures may “intercept” the film.
Insiders note that Warner Bros.'s current strategy. is to attract the maximum number of stars who can be turned into a kind of assets in case the company is sold. It is expected that Warner Bros. Discovery could finalize a deal in April.