‘Over the next 10 or 20 years, this film’s reputation will likely change’: Another legendary director is convinced ‘Joker 2’ doesn’t suck

By now you’ve either seen Joker: Folie à Deux in theaters and know from your own experience how much of a slog it is to watch, or you’ve been warned by others not to go see it. However, one legendary director is convinced this movie is much greater than it seems.

Hideo Kojima the legendary game director behind the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Death Stranding, and many more of your favorite games has shared his thoughts on the Joker sequel, and surprisingly he’s convinced that the movie will last the test of time. In fact, he thinks it’s only going to be received better in the future.

Taking to social media Kojima praised the movie for asking questions about the Joker, Arthur Fleck, and what impact the character had on audiences. Continuing his thoughts he begins to ask grander questions about heroes, villains, and the state of superhero movies right now. Ultimately his thoughts come together to boldly claim that the film’s reputation will change drastically in the next one or two decades.

I watched "Joker: Folie à Deux.” The beginning of the film is an animation sequence, reminiscent of the nostalgic "Looney Tunes", depicting a story of Joker and Joker’s shadow. In the trial that follows, the question of his multiple personality is argued from beginning to end. Is… pic.twitter.com/eEKRX4zPkD

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 3, 2024

“Over the next 10 or 20 years, this film’s reputation will likely change along with the permeation of hero movies to come,” Kojima wrote on X. “It may take some time for it to become a true “folie à deux.” But there is no doubt that everyone in the audience loved Joaquin and Gaga in this film”

If you’re a member of the Warner Bros. camp then we bet you’re hoping Kojima’s words ring true. Joker 2 has severely underperformed expectations not just critically, but also at the box office. However, it seems that other creatives are praising the movie, so maybe we just don’t get it.

Prior to Kojima, Quentin Tarantino shared his thoughts on the movie praising the movie and saying that he “really, really liked it,” just in case you weren’t convinced with the first. In his defense, Tarantino prefaced his thoughts by adding that he is “just nihilistic enough to kind of enjoy a movie that doesn’t quite work as a movie or that’s like a big, giant mess to some degree,” which is a valid description of the film.

While things don’t look good for the Joker sequel today, it isn’t impossible that the movie could find an audience in the future that sees the vision Todd Phillips clearly had. At the end of the day, fans were hoping for more of the Joker we met in the first film and that isn’t exactly what we were given. In fact, this sequel actively went out of its way to distance itself from the ideas of the first film, which might be where the genius is. I guess we’ll find out in a decade’s time. If you want to see what all the discourse is about and make your own mind up, Joker 2 is still showing in theaters so you can head out to your local spot and see how you like it now. 

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