KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Renowned director, screenwriter and producer Francis Ford Coppola praised Todd Phillips for Joker: Folie à Deux — despite the film opening way below expectations after becoming the first Hollywood comic book movie in history to receive a D Cinemascore.

In an Instagram post, the iconic filmmaker said Phillips’ films have always amazed him and provided enjoyment, and suggested that moviegoers may not be ready for a film such as the Joker sequel.

"Ever since the wonderful The Hangover, he’s always been one step ahead of the audience never doing what they expect. Congratulations to Joker: Folie à Deux”.

The sequel ranks even below the D+ awarded to Coppola's Megalopolis when it opened in cinemas last weekend.

The dystopian epic debuted to a mere US$4 million (RM17.06 million) against a production budget of US$120 million (RM511.77) before marketing, reported The Hollywood Reporter.

No major studio had wanted to touch the movie, so Coppola raised the funds himself, including putting up some of his own money before Lionsgate came in at the eleventh hour distribute the movie, which is on course to earn less than US$1 million (RM4.26 million) this weekend.

In contrast, Joker: Folie à Deux starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, had no trouble getting made after Phillips’ Joker grossed US$1 billion (RM4.26 billion) globally in 2019 and earned numerous Oscar nominations, as well as a Best Actor win for Phoenix.

The first Joker cost US$55 million (RM234.56) to make before marketing; the sequel cost a net US$190 million (RM810.3 million) to US$200 million (RM852.95).

It had initially been projected to open at US$70 million (RM298.53 million).

While still behind the first film’s US$96 million (RM409.42 million) domestic opening, it was a respectable number.

Countless scathing reviews online however poured it and the film took a beating, lowering expectations to a US$50 million (RM213.24) to US$60 million (RM255.39 million)

Based on Friday’s opening day gross of US$20 million (RM85.3 million), however, the films looks to open in the low to mid US$40 million (RM170.59) range, with one rival studio even predicting it dipping lowers to a high US$30 million range (RM127.94 million).

Coppola said in his Instagram post he was honoured that Joker: Folie à Deux cinematographer Lawrence Sher talked about how his infamous 1981 musical One From the Heart — a critical and commercial flop, which nearly put his Zoetrope studio out of business — provided inspiration for it.

Critics haven’t been kind to either Megalopolis or Joker: Folie à Deux, which have a 46 percent and 33 percent critic’s score on Rotten Tomatoes.