Cast, release date, and new updates: Everything we know about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’
It’s ironic that the hype levels for Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux are steadily rising through the roof when Warner Bros wasn’t all that interested in making the original, which made a mockery of the studio’s apprehension.
Following in the footsteps of Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Jared Leto, Joaquin Phoenix put his own spin on the ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ and reaped the rewards, with his Academy Award win for ‘Best Actor’ making the Joker the second character to be the subject of two Oscar-winning performances after Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro set the precedent with The Godfather and its sequel Part II.
A slow-burning, psychological thriller that just so happened to be inspired by one of the most iconic villains in pop culture, Joker shattered box office records and won plenty of awards season recognition, with the prospect of a sequel becoming increasingly inevitable the higher it soared.
The majority of the gang is back together with some new additions, and with Folie à Deux gradually moving closer and closer to its theatrical release, it’s time to dive in and highlight everything known about the movie so far.
Why is there a Joker 2?
The answer is remarkably simple because the first one earned over a billion dollars at the box office to become the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, even though Phillips wasn’t always sold on the idea of a follow-up.
The filmmaker initially planned for Joker to be a one-and-done story, but Warner Bros weren’t willing to let such immense levels of potential profit go to waste, with Folie à Deux being officially announced in November 2019, a little over a month after the release of the opener.
Who’s in the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux?
Alongside Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, Zazie Beetz will be returning from Joker as Sophie Dumond, his former neighbour and subject of his unusual affections. That pair are the only names confirmed to be reprising their roles so far, but Folie à Deux has assembled an esteemed roster to lend support.
Academy Award nominees Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener are on board for Joker 2, in addition to Ken Leung, Jacob Lofland, Harry Lawtey, and Steve Coogan, although none of their characters have been disclosed as of yet. Of course, no offence was intended, but none of them were the star recruits.
Is Lady Gaga joining Joaquin Phoenix in Joker 2?
It’s not a coincidence that the musical inclinations of Joker 2 were first hinted at around the same time Lady Gaga was cast as Harley Quinn, with the worldwide pop superstar more than capable of both belting out a tune and giving an acclaimed performance.
An Oscar nominee for her powerful turn in Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born, the less said about House of Gucci the better, but for all intents and purposes, it seems that Gaga has gone method yet again, with cinematographer Lawrence Sher admitting “I don’t know Stefani at all” due to her commitment to character. In fact, she even went by ‘Lee’ on set, a shortening of her alter-ego, Harleen Quinzel.
What’s the backstory of the Joker and Harley Quinn?
The backstory between the Joker and Harley Quinn has remained largely the same since the latter first debuted in a 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series, and there’s no reason to expect Joker 2 will deviate too far from that template.
Arkham Asylum psychologist Dr Harleen Quinzel finds herself gradually being seduced by the allure of the Joker, which ultimately causes her to abandon her lifestyle entirely after falling in love with the ‘Jester of Genocide’ and facilitating his escape. However, it remains entirely up for debate as to whether or not Folie à Deux will see Phoenix push her into a vat of chemicals to bleach her skin and drive her insane.
Does Harley Quinn wear Joker makeup?
In the comic books and her various appearances in live-action and animation, Harley Quinn has displayed a penchant for caking her face in theatrical makeup, but very rarely has she directly mimicked the Joker’s signature style of green hair and a big, wide red grin.
The fan favourite has an identifiable style all of her own, but it’s been hinted in set photos that Gaga’s version of the character will be approximating a more subtle version of the diamond-style eye makeup sported by Phoenix when he appeared on the talk show hosted by Robert De Niro’s Murray Franklin in the first film.
Does Batman appear in Joker 2?
Warner Bros would no doubt love to shoehorn Batman into the nascent Joker franchise, but thanks to both the opener’s 1980s setting and a pivotal small scene, it’s highly unlikely to happen without a significant time jump.
In the first movie, Phoenix’s Arthur appears at the gates of Wayne Manor, where he’s confronted by Douglas Hodge’s Alfred Pennyworth. The title character believes Brett Cullen’s Thomas Wayne might be his biological father, which leads him to exchange glances with Dante Pereira-Olson’s young Bruce. He’s only a kid, though, so he’s a long way away from becoming the ‘Dark Knight’.
Have Joker 2 pictures been released yet?
Perhaps in an effort to offset grainy set photos being widely circulated online, director Phillips shared the first official image from Joker 2 of Phoenix back in character on the very first day of shooting.
Since then, several production stills and behind-the-scenes snaps have been shared online by not only the filmmaker but Lady Gaga as well, offering fresh insight into what audiences should expect from the visual style of Folie à Deux.
Is there a Joker: Folie à Deux movie poster?
With the marketing campaign yet to begin heating up, Warner Bros or Phillips haven’t released an official poster for Joker: Folie à Deux so far.
However, a teaser video shared by Lady Gaga when she confirmed her casting back in 2022 revealed the silhouetted forms of the two main characters, which is sure to be repurposed in at least one theatrical one-sheet.
Is the Joker 2 trailer out yet?
There’s still a while to go until Joker 2 hits cinemas, but taking the marketing of the previous film into account, it’s reasonable to expect that a teaser trailer isn’t too far away.
The first footage from Joker was released in April 2019 ahead of the movie’s theatrical debut in October, and with the sequel following a similar pattern, it’s not unreasonable to expect the first trailer to be arriving imminently.
When is the Joker 2 release date?
Having become the top-earning R-rated movie ever after debuting in October, it was inevitable that Folie à Deux would end up following suit.
Sure enough, the follow-up to the billion-dollar smash hit is pencilled in for an October 4th, 2024 arrival, exactly four years to the day since its predecessor.
