Joker Sequel Casts Industry Star
After winning an Academy Award for playing the titular role in Joker, Joaquin Phoenix is officially set to return for Joker: Folie A Deux. Lady Gaga is confirmed to star alongside Phoenix as Harley Quinn, and the movie will also feature big names such as Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener with director Todd Phillips back at the helm. The sequel is still adding new cast members, and the latest to join is Industry's Harry Lawtey.
According to Deadline, Lawtey's part in Joker: Folie A Deux is currently unknown, but the actor is expected to have a big role. In addition to playing Robert Spearing on Industry, Lawtey has also appeared in Magpie Murders, Benediction, The Letter for the King, and Marcella. Just like the first film, Phillips will be directing a script from Scott Silver. The sequel will also feature the return of Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond.
"When I pitched them Joker, it wasn't a movie, it was, 'let's do a whole label,'" Phillips said in 2019. "They shut that down quickly and I get it. Who am I to walk in and start a label at a film studio? But they said, let's do this one."
He added, "Here's the real truth about a sequel. While Joaquin and I have talked about it, and while touring the world with Warner Bros executives — going to Toronto, and Venice, and other places — of course, we're sitting at dinner and they're saying, 'So, have you thought about…?' But, talking about contracts, there's not a contract for us to even write a sequel, we've never approached Joaquin to be in a sequel. Will that happen? Again, I just think the article was anticipatory at best."
How Does Margot Robbie Feel About Lady Gaga Playing Harley Quinn?
Lady Gaga will be stepping into the role of Harley Quinn, who was previously played by Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad. Joker is not set in the same universe as the DCEU, which means Robbie could still return as the character in the future. Recently, Robbie spoke with MTV News, and she expressed excitement at the alternate portrayal of Harley.
"It makes me so happy because I said from the very beginning that all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters, the way Macbeth or Batman, always gets passed from great actor to great actor," Robbie explained. "It's kind of like someone gets to do their Batman, or someone gets to do their Macbeth. I feel like, in not so many cases, are they female characters — Queen Elizabeth I, but beyond that, which I got to have a crack out as well, which I was honored to do. I was like, 'Wow! Cate Blanchett did Queen Elizabeth I. Now I get to.' It's such an honor to have built a foundation strong enough that Harley can now be one of those characters that other actors get to have a go at playing. And I think she'll do something incredible with it."
Joker: Folie a Deux is set to be released in theaters on October 4, 2024.