On Sept. 30, Lady Gaga blew kisses to fans outside the TCL Chinese Theatre ahead of the premiere of "Joker: Folie à Deux," while Joaquin Phoenix dropped his typical solemn facade and flashed a few smiles from the red carpet.

Another thing about Joker 2 that both journalists and moviegoers have pointed out: the idea that the film – particularly its shocking ending and implications of who the real Joker is – is a direct rebuke of the fans who embraced the first film and made it a $1 billion hit.

"It's a huge disaster, but what is the fallout?" asks one source after the sequel to the $1 billion hit bombs at the box office and is rejected by critics and audiences alike.