Director Todd Phillips marked Valentine’s Day 2024 by sharing special new still shots from his highly anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux starring returning Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix opposite Lady Gaga as Harleen Quinzel.
The plot details for the sequel film are not known yet, although it’s been described as a crime drama with musical elements set in and around Arkham Asylum. The supporting cast includes reprising Joker star Zazie Beetz opposite newcomers Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Brendan Gleeson, and Harry Lawtey.
The original Joker (2019) garnered to much controversy and grossed over $1 billion worldwide to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie release in box office history. Moreover, the movie also bagged 11 Oscar nominations, including best picture, and won Joaquin Phoenix the best actor award. The new movie traces the only DC comic book tentpole releasing in 2024, and box office expectations are sky high due to the credit of the first film’s success and the extra star power of the icon Lady Gaga.
Margot Robbie, who was the first actress to bring out the character of Harley Quinn to life on the big screen through movies like Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey, previously showed her support for Gaga taking over the female icon.
Joker: Folie à Deux
Continuing the tradition filmmaker Todd Phillips initiated last year, the director treated fans to a glimpse of the lead actors, reminiscent of their characters’ romantic moments.
In the recent set of images shared yesterday, Phoenix and Gaga are portrayed sharing romantic scenes from Joker 2. The reveal ignited excitement among fans, with several expressing their anticipation for the film.
In one of the photos, Phoenix is seen wearing his trademark burgundy suit and his iconic Joker makeup standing next to Lady Gaga in a navy-blue blouse, as the two actors fashion matching blue eye makeup. In the next photo, the unhinged duo can be seen rubbing noses in a black and white shot, while Gaga affectionately gazes at Phoenix who is perhaps poking his head out through a jail cell.
The final image shows Joker and Harley Quinn engaged in a romantic dance on a terrace in Gotham City, again in black and white, but this time in a wide shot. Phoenix sports a black tuxedo while Lady Gaga can be seen wearing an elegant white evening gown. The pair embrace in an intimate moment as their chemistry sizzles through the screen. The director accompanied the images with a heartfelt caption, wishing everyone a day filled with love.
Titled Joker: Folie à Deux, the film features Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the stellar Batman villain, with the addition of Lady Gaga to the cast adding to the anticipation. Director Todd Phillips would be directing from a script he co-wrote with Scott Silver.
The Joker sequel’s title, Folie à Deux, suggests a psychiatric term describing a mental condition where two or more individuals share a delusion. While fans are expecting a dark psychological thriller from Phillips, there are clues hinting that the film will also be exploring a musical love story between Arthur Fleck and Harleen Quinzel. In the sequel, Lady Gaga’s Dr. Quinzel is assigned with the task of treating Fleck, but her professional interest for his nihilistic personality gradually changes into a toxic obsession. Mental health and disorders remain notable themes much like its predecessor, although the first film received harsh criticism for its handling of such topics.
While fans were expecting a trailer soon, the director recently confirmed that they would have to wait a bit longer. Joker: Folie à Deux is set to hit the theatres on Oct 4th, 2024, from Warner Bros.
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