Batman's nemesis returns to vandalize the city streets in a new DC sequel. Joker will return to the big screen once again with an expanded cast, a change in format and more traumas building his plot. Director Todd Philips worked for quite some time on the script, which ended up being called Folie A Deux.
The first film was a sensational success by any measure. It grossed $1.074 billion worldwide and garnered 11 Oscar nominations, of which Joaquin Phoenix won for Best Actor and Hildur Guðnadóttir for Best Original Score. As expected, all these factors made Warner Bros. want to expand the franchise and even put interest in other iconic villains.
Shortly after its release, it took home the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and made history as the first R-rated film to gross more than a billion worldwide. In April of this year, Todd stated that the production company gave him the green light to begin developing a sequel to the Arthur Fleck story, which was the sixth highest-grossing film of 2019.
Joker 2: Who are part of the cast?
The actors of the main characters were the first to come to light. Of course Joaquin Phoenix will be returning to play Arthur Fleck, better known as the Joker. Lady Gaga will be joining him to play his extroverted and iconic love interest, Harley Quinn.
There were many contradictions with her integration to the cast, due to fans not wanting it to be a musical, but it wouldn't be the first time we see Gaga working on a movie without using all her talents. It has already happened with House of Gucci, American Horror Story: Hotel and more.
On the other hand, Catherine Keener was cast in a secret role. The actress is known for her work in Get Out and The Adam Project, alongside Ryan Reynolds. Brendan Gleeson was also another of the director's acquisitions who has not revealed the role he will be playing, as it was only announced that his role will be related to Arkham Asylum.
Zazie Beetz will return to play Sophie Dumond and the last confirmed (so far) cast member was Jacob Lofland, who will be playing an Arkham Asylum inmate who becomes friends with Arthur.
Joker 2: When is it going to be released?
As confirmed by Todd Phillips on his social media, the film is expected to be released on October 4, 2024. Filming for the sequel is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles due to the $12.6 million tax credit California has established.
"No other city has more resources than LA when it comes to our industry and to have this kind of support for the work we do from the California Film Commission's Film and Television Tax Credit Program is a great welcome for all of us on 'Joker: Folie à Deux.' Having spent the last few years filming in iconic locations here in the U.S. and around the world, I'm looking forward to returning to work in the place I call home and serving the state by bringing a project of this scope to California", said the director.
Joker 2: What will the sequel be about?
As has been speculated for months, Joker 2 will be a musical. The writer-director confessed to IndieWire that the idea for Arthur's dance after committing his first murder originated with lead actor Phoenix.
After all the back and forth with this new concept, Phillips hired choreographer Michael Arnold (The Wolf of Wall Street), who shortly after joining the company, already showed the actor some videos to make his dance technique even more iconic in the Joker.
During an interview with 60 Minutes, Joaquin confessed that his character "had moved beyond that and that there was an opportunity to express something else, but I didn't know exactly what that was.... I thought there was some kind of movement, some kind of physical transformation, right? A metamorphosis".
Joker 2: How much will the salary of the main actors be?
According to IndieWire, after Phoenix won an academy award, his salary went through the roof and increased fivefold. In 2019, he earned around $4.5 million, while he will receive $20 million for the sequel.
On the other hand, Variety reported that Gaga will take home a check for $10 million, half of what her co-star will get. This is due to the number of scenes they own. It is estimated that the second part will have a budget of $150 million. In case you want to catch up on the story, remember that the first installment of Joker is available on HBO Max.
Joker 2: What does Folie à Deux mean?
The term literally translates as madness of two or madness by two. There is a syndrome known as shared psychosis or shared delusional disorder, also known as SDD. The condition is usually shared by two patients who pass delusion-related beliefs and even apparitions between their minds.
So, according to GameRant, this would be what we would see between Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn. Although there was also talk of the possibility of multiple Jokers (inside her head and personality) being hinted at.
During an interview the director confirmed that his idea is to expand the franchise in a signfiicant way. "I pitched three movies, Joker being the first one with me, and then two others with two other different directors. But I don't really want to name them, because then it will become news and I'll bring these directors into it when I haven't even told them anything. Only I told Warner Bros. about it", he confessed.
