Joker: Folie à Deux Test Screenings Caused ‘Tension’ Between David Zaslav and WB Execs

The test screenings for Joker 2, also known as Joker: Folie à Deux, caused tension between David Zaslav, Michael De Luca, and Pam Abdy.

Joker 2 was released in United States theaters in October 2024. Directed by Todd Phillips and a sequel to 2019’s Joker, Folie à Deux sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker while Lady Gaga plays Harley “Lee” Quinzel.

Folie à Deux was not well received by many fans and critics, as it was both nominated for and won a handful of Golden Raspberry Awards. The movie was also considered to be a box office bomb, making $207.5 million at the global box office off an estimated $190-200 million budget.

What do we know about the Joker: Folie á Deux test screenings?

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, tension was brewing between Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chairmen and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy during the test screenings for Joker: Folie à Deux.

“The studio did not test screen the film and relied on friends and family screenings,” the article reads. “De Luca and Abdy were thrilled with the cut they saw, but Zaslav wasn’t and made it clear he had strong concerns. De Luca has privately admitted to colleagues that in this case, Zaslav ultimately got it right.”

There have been rumors circulating for the past couple of weeks that Zaslav may be looking to replace De Luca and Abdy; however, and especially following the recent box office success of A Minecraft Movie and Sinners, De Luca says that this is not the case based on a recent conversation they had with Zaslav.

“He’s assured us that it was fake news and there were no changes imminent, and we took him at his word,” De Luca said.