Warner Bros. has released a new poster for Joker: Folie À Deux, Todd Phillips' highly anticipated sequel to 2019's Joker. This follow-up will revolve around the twisted romance between Arthur Fleck and Lee Quinzel, a.k.a. Joker and Harley Quinn.
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga are put front and centre on this latest sneak peek, though the fact they're both blood-spattered seems pretty ominous.
The actor recently spoke to Empire Magazine and revealed that he was only willing to play Joker again provided the movie didn't feel safe. "It's the only way that I can do any movie," he said. "If it doesn't feel like it's dangerous, if there's not a good chance that you're gonna fail spectacularly then what's the point?"
Phillips added, "That was literally the reason to do it. The only reason Joaquin would even do a sequel is if it felt frightening to him. One thing he really got off on on the first movie was this fear, every day, this nauseous fear of like, 'What are we f***ing doing?' He did not want it to be easy."
"And he wanted to feel as scared on this one. He goes, 'Well, if I'm gonna do it, I just want to feel that it could not work.'"
"I don't think of it as a sequel. Hangover 2 was a sequel," the filmmaker continued. "So often a sequel is more of the same, just bigger. Of course [Folie À Deux] is a sequel, but it felt like we were making something entirely different. It's tonally and inherently something way more different. The first one subverted the expectations of what it was. So how do you do that again?"
"I always said, early on, the film should feel as if it was made by crazy people. Like the inmates are running the asylum. It does feel like a big swing. You just go, 'Well, f*** it. Why not? What are we all doing here, if not to do that?'"
Check out the new poster for Joker: Folie À Deux below.
Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him.
The sequel stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar-winner Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born). The movie also features Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker.
Phillips, who was nominated for Oscars for directing, writing and producing Joker, directed Joker: Folie À Deux from a screenplay by fellow Oscar nominee Scott Silver & Phillips, based on characters from DC. This follow-up was produced by Phillips, Oscar nominee Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Joseph Garner. Lady Gaga served as music consultant.
Joker: Folie À Deux arrives in theaters on October 4.