The most infamous villain in Gotham City is once again active.
Joker: Folie à Deux, the much anticipated follow-up to Todd Phillips’ hugely successful 2019 film Joker, officially began filming on Saturday. To celebrate, the filmmaker shared an Instagram picture of Joaquin Phoenix as the eponymous clown prince of crime.
The picture shows a severely beaten and malnourished Phoenix sitting shirtless and leaning upward as he gets a close shave.
Day 1. Our boy. #joker, Phillips captioned the picture.
A request for comment from EW was not immediately answered by Warner Bros., the movie’s production company.
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Joker: Folie à Deux, in contrast to its predecessor, is a musical that is said to be set at Arkham Asylum, the infamous mental institution that the Joker has repeatedly found himself in in various DC comics, movies, and television shows.
Phoenix won’t be taking the lead in this movie by himself; the title, Folie à Deux, literally translates to “madness shared by two” and alludes to a psychotic state experienced by two people. Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, and Lady Gaga
This isn’t the first time Phillips has carelessly disclosed information about Folie à Deux on social media. He posted a picture of the movie’s script in June along with a picture of a cigarette-smoking Phoenix leafing through it to reveal the title of the sequel. By posting an animated clip of the Joker and Harley dancing in October, he further confirmed Lady Gaga’s involvement.
Joker: On October 4, 2024, the comedy Folie Deux will be released in theaters.