We're now just one week away from Joker: Folie à Deux arriving in theaters and, despite this being 2024's only DC movie, excitement seems oddly muted among comic book fans.
There are those who feel Joker is a movie that should have been left well alone, while others find the prospect of a musical just too off-putting. Warner Bros. has largely kept that out of the sequel's marketing campaign but it's no secret that Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga will be busting out some tunes together.
Talking to Entertainment Weekly, Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips justified the decision to make this sequel a musical after the grounded nature of the 2019 movie.
"[Arthur] had issues. Clearly. But, there’s a light, a beauty, and a romance inside of him," the filmmaker explained. "It was something Joaquin and I talked about early on; yes, he’s out of step with the world. However, there’s a romance inside of him, and there’s music inside of him."
"What happens when a guy who hears music inside his head finds love for the first time in his life? Maybe the music that he hears inside his head starts coming out," he continued. "Why wouldn’t that music come out when he meets somebody who gives him the time of day? His biggest issue in the first movie, outside of childhood trauma, was a severe lack of love."
Phillips added, "After the first Joker, Joaquin and I were really sad. Like, really sad. We didn’t want it to end. Not only because we like working together, but because we didn’t want to leave Arthur. We loved Arthur and became attached to that character. Simply put, it was to spend more time with Arthur."
We'll see how things pan out for this one but with 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is only 6% behind Joker with many more reviews yet to be counted.
Check out some new posters for Joker: Folie à Deux in the X posts 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.