The Joker trend caught fire, spreading beyond the US like wildfire. Vine became ground zero for the phenomenon, with users from all corners of the globe getting in on the action.
Clips from the movie started popping up everywhere, sparking a mix of reactions:
"This looks intense! Still waiting for it to hit theaters here in Canada, but these clips are giving me life. #NeedToSeeJokerASAP"
"Where's part 3???" One user demanded, hungry for more snippets.
Another commented, "Lucas Knight is killing it as Arthur! He looks so broken, it's scary good. Hope he tours here someday!"
But not everyone was thrilled. One user groaned: "C'mon guys, some of us are trying to avoid spoilers here! ðŸ˜"
Just a few days after Joker was screened in the USA, it also began its official screening on the same day in other countries, such as the UK and Ireland. The trend that had started in America quickly caught on in these places.
A few days after its official screening in those countries, Joker also began showing in South Korea and Japan. In Japan especially, the film became quite popular.
As Joker screened in more and more countries, each of these places started riding along with the "Joker" trend that had originated in the USA. The trend grew rapidly as new audiences experienced the film and joined in the global conversation.
The Joker trend had grown so big that Marvel's marketing team started thinking of ways to encourage Marvel fans to create their own trend, like an "Ultron trend" or something similar.
These Marvel diehards tried to start a trend on Twitter and Vine, but their attempts fell flat. The Lucas and DC fans, already riding high on Joker's success, started to mock them for trying.
"Look at Marvel trying to force a trend. Cute."
"Age of Ultron trend? More like Ultron flop."
Marvel fans tried to defend themselves:
"At least our movies don't rely on controversy."
Despite their best efforts, Marvel fans just couldn't match the impact of those Joker scenes. Something about Arthur's story seemed to strike a chord with people in a way that Ultron just... didn't.
Marvel diehards gave it their all, editing together slick videos of their favorite heroes and plastering them across Vine and Twitter. Sure, they racked up tens of thousands of likes, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to what Joker was pulling.
When Logan Paul dropped his Joker dance video, decked out in full costume on those now-famous stairs, it was game over. Hundreds of thousands of likes poured in almost instantly. Not to be outdone, Jake Paul followed suit with his own take.
It wasn't just the big names either. Vine artists and regular folks alike were getting in on the action. People who couldn't make it to New York were recreating the dance in their living rooms, on local staircases, wherever they could find a bit of space to channel their inner Joker.
But of course, with any big trend, the conspiracy theories weren't far behind. Some folks started connecting the dots between Lucas Knight owning Vine and the Joker trend blowing up like it did.
Conspiracy theories started popping up, with one Vine post by TruthSeeker420 gaining particular attention:
"Wake up, people! Lucas Knight owns Vine, and suddenly Joker's everywhere on it? Not a coincidence. He's manipulating the algorithm to push Joker content. Those stair dancers? Probably paid actors. He didn't just buy Vine for fun - he got it to set up this exact moment. And don't even get me started on the hidden Vine logos in the movie. If you slow down the trailer and look really closely, you can see them everywhere. Knight thinks he's being clever, but we're onto him. Knight's been planning this for years. It's all part of his plan for total social media control."
The post exploded, with other users piling on with their own "evidence":
"OMG, you're right! I saw a Vine employee at the Joker stairs yesterday!"
"I knew something was off about this whole trend. It felt too... orchestrated."
While most people laughed it off as internet craziness, the theory spread like wildfire in certain corners of the web. It just goes to show, give people a hit movie, a popular app, and a dash of celebrity ownership, and they'll connect dots that aren't even there.
Conspiracy theories aside, Joker's second week was a knockout. The film hit $420 million globally, nipping at the heels of Age of Ultron's $432 million. The industry was buzzing, and reporters were scrambling for answers.
One lucky journalist managed to snag an interview with Barry Mayer about the unexpected success.
"So, Mr. Mayer, did you expect Joker to perform this well?" the reporter asked.
Barry chuckled, "Honestly? I just greenlit the script because it was Lucas. The content was... let's say interesting, but definitely pushed some buttons. I had my doubts."
"Then why go ahead with it?"
"Lucas seemed so sure about it. I figured, alright, we'll do this, but only if he agreed to the Gravity project back then." Barry chuckled. "Looking back, I was trying to leverage his talent for our other projects. Turns out, it was a win-win."
The reporter pressed on. "There are rumors that Disney's trying to woo Lucas for their Marvel films. Any comments?"
Barry shrugged, his expression carefully neutral. "That's up to Lucas. I'm not going to speak for him or reveal what we might be planning. But let's just say he's become very valuable to Warner Bros."
"So you're not worried about losing him to Marvel?"
Barry's smile widened slightly. "In this business, you learn to never say never. But I think Lucas knows we appreciate his talent here."
***
Bob Iger had to hand it to Warner Bros. and DC - they'd knocked it out of the park with Joker. The box office numbers were impressive, even outpacing Age of Ultron. But Iger wasn't one to panic.
'Age of Ultron hits China in two weeks,' he reminded himself, looking over the projections. 'Joker will be eating our dust soon enough.'
Still, he couldn't shake the nagging thought that they needed Lucas Knight in the Marvel universe. He picked up his phone, dialing his head of talent acquisition. "Have we made any progress with Knight's people?"
***
Meanwhile, Lucas was in the middle of a meeting with Neil.
"So get this," Neil said, leaning forward. "Marvel's offering to create a whole new universe just for you. They want you as Captain America."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, but I'm not sure that's the direction I want to go."
Neil didn't look surprise. "You're turning down Marvel?"
Lucas nodded, sliding a folder across the table. "I'm more excited about these Netflix projects. Stranger Things is already rolling, and we're in talks for The Boys."
Neil's brow furrowed as he flipped through the folder. "The Boys? Wait, isn't that the comic you've been reading over lately?"
Lucas nodded, a glint in his eye. "Yeah, that's the one. The characters are just... so messed up. It's fascinating."
"I skimmed a few issues," Neil said, shaking his head. "It's a world where superheroes don't give a damn about collateral damage, right? Pretty dark stuff."
"True," Lucas agreed. "The religious satire is a bit on the nose, but it's got some truth to it. It's... complicated."
Neil leaned back, eyeing Lucas carefully. "You sure you want to get mixed up in something this controversial? It's not exactly family-friendly content."
Lucas shrugged, his expression turning serious. "It'll make money. And more money means I can help more people with my charity work."
"Jesus," Neil sighed, rubbing his temples. "You know, the more time passes, the more you sound like some kind of tycoon actor. What happened to just picking fun roles?"
Lucas cracked a smile. "Hey, who says this won't be fun? Besides, shaking things up keeps life interesting."
Neil couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, alright. Just don't come crying to me when the religious groups start protesting outside your house."
"That's what I've got you for, right?" Lucas grinned. "To handle the angry mobs?"
"Very funny," Neil groaned, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "Just remember, you're the one who wanted to play in the big leagues. No backing out now."
***
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Pictures was in delicate talks with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) in China. They were pushing hard to get Joker approved for screening, but kept hitting roadblocks. The film's dark themes and social commentary were proving to be sticking points for the Chinese censors.
After weeks of back-and-forth, the news finally came down: Joker would not be approved for release in China. The disappointment was palpable, not just for Warner Bros., but for Chinese fans who had been eagerly awaiting the film.
On Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat, fans expressed their frustration in carefully worded posts:
"Looks like we won't be seeing the Clown Prince in theaters. Such a shame to miss out on Knight's performance. 😢"
"Anyone know how to 'climb the wall' to watch some foreign reviews? Asking for a friend."
"Heard from my cousin overseas that it's an incredible film. Wish we could experience it too."
In more private chats and forums, fans were more direct:
"Time to fire up the 'magical software' and look for some 'free streaming sites,' I guess."
"Anyone want to organize a 'film appreciation gathering' once some 'high-quality copies' become available?"
Chinese fans were disappointed that Joker wouldn't be shown in their theaters. Many started discussing online how they might watch the film through other means.
Meanwhile, Age of Ultron hit Chinese cinemas and immediately started pulling in huge numbers. The Marvel movie was making millions daily, with packed theaters across the country.
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