‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Urges Movie Theaters to Ditch Commercials Before Films: “They take the air out of the room”

Todd Phillips was expected to have a massive hit in theaters last month, but instead, the audiences were treated to a cinematic flop the likes of which hasn’t been seen in a long time. ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ has seen extremely negative responses both when it comes to critics and the audiences.

As of October 31, 2024, ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ has earned $58.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, and $143.5 million in other countries, bringing its total worldwide earnings to $201.6 million.

It was reported that the film needs to make $450 million to break even, while Warner Bros. estimates it needs $375 million. They later suggested that the movie might lose the studio between $125 and $200 million during its time in theaters, due to having a quite larger budget than the first installment, which is one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies of all time.

While he is still reeling from the unsuccessful release, Phillips took part in a Hollywood poll for Empire magazine about the future of going to the movies.

He shared his wish for theaters to stop showing commercials before films. Phillips, along with other filmmakers like George Miller, Sean Baker, and Daniel Scheinert, believes that movie theaters will always be popular, but they could use some improvements.

Phillips believes theaters should do more to compete with people wanting to watch movies at home. He advised theaters to stop showing commercials before films because people have already paid for their tickets and are excited to see the movie. He said that commercials can ruin the atmosphere.

Stop showing commercials before the movies. We’ve paid for our tickets. We’re excited to be there. The commercials tend to take the air out of the room.

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ has reportedly seen people leaving the theater in large numbers. Phillips is however correct that audiences have already paid the ticket and should be treated to the experience without the theaters trying to profit off of them once again by showing ads in their faces. However in today’s climate that’s unlikely to change.

Theaters have seen record losses ever since streaming services became affordable and popular, with the COVID-19 pandemic almost being the final nail in the coffin (and for some it was..).

Do you agree with Phillips? Let us know in the comments below!

Liked this article? Follow us on Bluesky for the latest Marvel & DC news!