Russian cinemas will start showing "Joker: Madness for Two" from October 12

According to Cinemaplex, unofficial screenings of the film "Joker: Madness for Two" will begin in Russia on October 12, 2024. This release will take place eight days after the world premiere, which took place on October 4. The film has generated great interest among viewers around the world, but its reception has been quite controversial.

Joaquin Phoenix, who previously won an Oscar for his performance in the first part, returned to his iconic role as the Joker. In the sequel, his partner on the set was the popular singer Lady Gaga, who played Harley Quinn. Her participation in the project also caused a lot of discussion, given that she has already established herself as an actress in such films as "A Star is Born".

The director of the sequel was Todd Phillips, who also held this position in the first part. He co-wrote the script for the film with Scott Silver, who worked on the original "Joker". The sequel's plot centers on Arthur Fleck, who finds himself in Arkham Asylum, meeting Dr. Harleen Quinzel, the future Harley Quinn. This meeting promises to be the starting point for further events that will unfold in the unique universe of "Joker".

In addition to Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the film also features such actors as Catherine Keener (known for the film "Get Out"), Brendan Gleeson (star of "In Bruges") and Zazie Beetz, who again played her role from the first part. It is worth noting that "Joker: Madness Between Two" is part of a separate DC Elseworlds franchise, and has nothing to do with the new DC cinematic universe created by James Gunn and Peter Safran.

However, despite the star cast and expectations, the film received very negative reviews from the public and critics. On the Metacritic website, the film's rating from critics is 45 points, and from viewers - 4.2. Rotten Tomatoes scores are even lower, with 33% from critics and 31% from viewers. Such low scores reflect audience disappointment and lack of enthusiasm for the new film, especially compared to the first part.

Although the sequel grossed $121 million worldwide during its debut weekend, this is significantly less than the original 2019 Joker, which earned $235 million during its first weekend. The difference in budgets is also impressive: if the first part had a budget of $55-$70 million, then $200 million was spent on the creation of the second film.