Joaquin Phoenix poses for photos after winning the Best Actor award for "Joker" at the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the United States, Feb. 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Ying)

At what should have been a prime 6 p.m. slot on its opening day in China, "Joker: Folie à Deux" drew only three moviegoers on Wednesday at a downtown Beijing cinema in the bustling Qianmen tourist area.

This sparse turnout was a stark contrast to the feverish anticipation that once surrounded the sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 hit "Joker," which had captivated audiences worldwide with its intense portrayal of Arthur Fleck's descent into madness, ultimately transforming him into the iconic villain, the Joker.

Box office tracker Maoyan reported modest revenue of 9 million yuan (about 1.26 million U.S. dollars) on opening day in China -- a far cry from the numbers typically expected of a major Hollywood release.

This bleak start mirrored the film's reception in the United States, where it had premiered 12 days earlier to similarly muted enthusiasm. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has managed an approval rating of only 32 percent, while on China's Douban, a popular review platform, it has garnered a rating of 5.9 out of 10 - contrasting sharply with the 8.7 rating of its predecessor.

Maoyan projects the film to end its China box office run with just around 67 million yuan in earnings.

Following the box office struggles of "Joker: Folie à Deux" in North America, the prospect of a box office rescue in China, the world's second-largest movie market, now appears dim.

For many, the film's tonal shift is the sticking point. The 2019 "Joker" had delivered a jolt of chaotic energy, exploring Fleck's descent into madness with a mix of psychological depth and unrelenting intensity. Fans who eagerly awaited a return to that world were instead met with a more subdued and introspective sequel.

"Perhaps it was never meant to be a 'run-of-the-mill' blockbuster. After watching, I felt more reflective, even a bit lost," one Douban reviewer remarked. "It's as if I were one of Gotham's crazed citizens -- hoping for a wild Joker but instead seeing an Arthur coming to grips with reality."

The film also has its defenders in China.

Some cinephiles praised Phillips' bold choices, viewing the sequel as a deconstruction of the Joker mythos, an "anti-Joker movie" that challenges what the character has come to symbolize.

American director Todd Phillips (C) reacts after his film "Joker" winning the Golden Lion for best film at the 76th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

"I would honestly give it 8 or even 9 out of 10. I haven't seen the first film, and I'm not a DC fan -- I actually dislike superhero movies and shows. But this is a great piece of realist cinema...and the current backlash in public opinion doesn't mean much," a user remarked on micro-blogging site Weibo.

But the support "Joker: Folie à Deux" has received from some Chinese viewers seems not enough to bolster its box office impact, especially when one considers the scale of this production -- with the film reportedly costing 200 million U.S. dollars to produce.

This movie's reception also points to a broader trend in China's entertainment landscape. As the tastes of Chinese audiences continue to diversify, Hollywood films have seen their appeal wane, and are no longer the guaranteed box office draws they were a decade ago.

This year, eight of the top 10 earners at China's box office have been domestic productions. The only American film to make the top 10, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," ranks ninth, with earnings of 956 million yuan.

As "Joker: Folie à Deux" continues its run in China, its path forward may prove barren and induce in its producers the type of introspection experienced by its protagonist.  

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