“Joker: Folie À Deux” Struggles at Box Office as Nollywood’s “Queen Lateefah” Surpasses ₦100 Million

The highly anticipated “Joker: Folie À Deux” debuted in Nigerian cinemas with a modest ₦5.2 million on its first day, falling short of the ₦5.7 million earned by the original “Joker” in 2019. Over the 3-day weekend, it earned ₦21.5 million. The performance of the sequel, adjusted for inflation, marks a lukewarm start for the Clown Prince of Crime.

Compounding its struggles, Nollywood films “Queen Lateefah” and “Farmer’s Bride” both outperformed the “Joker” sequel, earning ₦14.7 million and ₦7 million, respectively, on their first day.

Internationally, “Joker: Folie À Deux” fared even worse, grossing just $40 million in its opening weekend, far below the projected $47–$55 million.

The original “Joker” had set a high bar with its $97 million domestic opening and a $250 million global debut. In contrast, “Folie À Deux” grossed only $121 million globally during its first weekend, raising concerns about its ability to break even, given its $190 million production budget.

Meanwhile, “Queen Lateefah”, directed by Adeoluwa Owu, has been a success story. The film crossed the ₦100 million mark in just seven days, and with over 23,000 admissions, becoming the 37th Nollywood film to achieve this milestone. As of October 7, it has added ₦50 million to the mix for a total of ₦150 million.

“Queen Lateefah” continues to gain momentum, while “Joker: Folie À Deux” struggles to recover both in Nigeria and abroa