Looks like *Joker: Folie à Deux* isn’t living up to the hype. The film opened with an underwhelming $40 million—especially when compared to its predecessor that topped $96 million on its opening weekend. Wow, talk about a sequel that just can’t catch a break! Fans were excited to see Joaquin Phoenix return as Arthur Fleck and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, but it seems like this time, they left some serious cash at the box office.

Adding to the drama, a same-sex kiss scene that featured Lady Gaga and an unnamed woman was cut from the film, leaving fans curious about what other surprises might’ve been left on the cutting room floor. Director Todd Phillips explained that it just didn’t flow with the vibe he was aiming for. Seems like improvising a kiss in the middle of a tense moment isn’t always the best idea in Hollywood, huh?

Now, this film has been given a D CinemaScore, making it the first comic book movie to score this low. That’s a major buzzkill, but at least it’s a snazzy conversation starter, right? Just keep in mind that this movie had a budget of $190 million—almost triple what the original cost to make! It’s a reminder that not every highly anticipated follow-up is guaranteed to be a box-office smash, especially when it gets a D rating. Lesson learned: some moments are better left unseen.

So, what’s next? Can they recover from this stumble? Only time will tell, but here’s hoping they keep the magic rolling without making us wait until the next holiday season!