Joker told the Clown Prince of Crime’s origin tale, which had never been depicted on film before, and it was so well received that a follow-up, Joker: Folie à Deux, has been released. The 2019 film centres around Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a hired clown with aspirations of becoming a famous stand-up comedian. The victim of persistent bullying and unfair economic treatment in Gotham, Arthur loses his healthcare and ends up absolutely destitute. This causes Arthur to murder those who didn’t support him, have an impact on an entire movement, and change into the Joker.
Despite being criticised for stigmatising mental health, Joker was a significant award winner. The film received several other honours, including Hildur Gunadóttir and Phoenix winning Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Actor, respectively. Joker also generated an amazing $1 billion or more at the global box office (via Box Office Mojo). Given that it only cost $55 million, which is a relatively little sum for a comic book movie, that accomplishment is even more remarkable. Warner Bros. could easily duplicate that success given everything that is known about Joker: Folie à Deux.
Joker 2 Release Date
When Joker 2 debuts in theatres, it will have been five years since the original film, as it is scheduled for the 2024 awards season. The film will be released on October 4, 2024, and given that the first film was such a strong contender for numerous accolades, it is hardly unexpected that Warner Bros. wants to release the sequel during that time of year. The sequel’s release date is fantastic news for the film’s quality because it shows that the company has a lot of faith in it and that it might take home another major prize at the 2024–2025 awards shows.
The release date is still a ways off, though, especially given how far along the film’s production is. The script was finished by writer/director Todd Phillips in 2022, and the movie’s development and production were expedited. Joker: Folie à Deux reportedly has a $150 million production budget, which is over twice as much as Joker’s. The majority of Joker 2 will be filmed in Los Angeles, and given the length of time between production wrapping up and the movie’s release date, it’s possible that a sizable number of additional digital effects will need to be added.
Joker 2 Cast
Phoenix is undoubtedly the driving force behind Joker, therefore the sequel wouldn’t work without him. The Clown Prince of Crime will once again be played by Phoenix, but he isn’t the only original cast member to return; Sophie Drummond will also be played by Zazie Beetz (via Deadline). Although it was later revealed that Sophie was simply his neighbour and that their romance was all in Arthur’s brain, she was first depicted as a potential love interest for him. In Joker, it wasn’t apparent whether Sophie survived; however, a deleted scene makes it clear that she did, therefore her moments in the follow-up won’t merely be flashbacks.
A fresh and talented supporting cast joins Phoenix and Beetz. The Arkham Asylum doctor Harley Quinn, with whom the Joker has a romantic involvement, will be portrayed in the film by Lada Gaga. Although it’s unclear how closely the sequel will resemble the first, Lady Gaga plays a significant part. Brendan Gleeson, another notable actor joining the group (In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin), is playing an unspecified part. Other actors have also been hired for roles that have not yet been made public. Harry Lawtey (The Pale Blue Eye), Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), and Jacob Lofland (The Son) have all joined the cast (via Deadline).
Joker 2 Plot Details
It’s unclear whether Joker: Folie à Deux occurs immediately after Arthur kills the Arkham Asylum staffer in the final scene of the comic or years later. In any case, it has been made clear that Arkham will play a significant role in the sequel. As the first movie closes with Arthur fleeing from Arkham Asylum guards after killing a doctor, it is clear from the plot of Joker: Folie à Deux that Arthur was unable to escape. Phoenix’s appearance in a first look photo as Arthur being shaved inside Arkham suggests that there isn’t much of a time jump in the movie, and the actor doesn’t appear to have aged.
Joker: Folie à Deux’s abrupt tonal shift has received the greatest attention because the Joker sequel will be a musical. Given that Lady Gaga has developed into a fantastic actor as well as a phenomenal performer, it makes sense why she was chosen to play Harley Quinn. Phillips’ ability to pull off the musical component, which has always been a risky move, ultimately depends on Gaga. Since the majority of the film will take place in Arkham, it’s likely that Arthur will be thinking about the musical aspects, just as he did when thinking about his connection with Sophie in the previous movie.
That may be the case in particular given that the subtitle of the film, “Madness for Two,” refers to a shared delusional disease. Although the musical style of Joker 2 is controversial, it may be a welcome shift from the sombre and gloomy tone of the previous film, and it may also be a brilliant and original method to accomplish it. Additionally, the Joker has typically been theatrical and musical, so this extreme change is somewhat consistent with the famous character. The Arkham Asylum location also offers many options and possibilities because it might present new foes to Batman’s rogues’ gallery.
Other Joker 2 Details
Gunadóttir composed a unique and hauntingly beautiful minimalist score for the 2019 film that earned her an Oscar. She will return to write the music for Joker 2. But she’ll surely take a very different tack with the follow-up. Gunadóttir must provide music with lyrical substance as well because Joker: Folie à Deux will at least in part be a musical. It’s unlikely that the sequel would wander too far from her powerful cello work, though, given that she has written music for previous tense and dramatic films like Sicario, The Revenant, and Tár.
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