Joker 2 Director Reveals New Look at Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix

2019’s Joker became one of the biggest surprises of DC’s live-action output, turning the titular DC villain into the subject of an Oscar-winning film. The film had a pretty definitive ending while still leaving just enough room for more, which will be explored in 2024’s Joker: Folie a Deux. 

Folie a Deux director and co-writer Todd Phillips took to Instagram on Christmas day to provide a new look at the film, showcasing two new stills featuring Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga) and Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). This includes a look at Arthur behind a cell door in Arkham Asylum, as well as him in his Joker makeup standing next to Harleen.

What Is Joker 2 About?

Joker: Folie a Deux will be a musical that follows the twisted romance between Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck / Joker and Gaga’s Harley Quinn, with a lot of the film reportedly taking place within Arkham Asylum. The film will also feature appearances from Zazie Beetz, Brendon Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Jacob Lofland.

“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,” Margot Robbie previously said of Lady Gaga taking on the role. “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.”

Is Joker 2 in the DC Universe?

Joker: Folie a Deux is technically classified as a DC Elseworlds production, meaning that it exists in a canon outside of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s forthcoming DC Universe of movies and Max-exclusive television shows. In a recent post on the social media platform Threads, Gunn revealed his involvement in Folie a Deux, explaining that he did give notes on the finished footage. That being said, Gunn did stress that the Joker sequel is one of the few upcoming DC films being shepherded by Warner Bros. Pictures, given when the film was first put into development.

“Todd had Joker in full swing by the time we came onboard – I’ve watched and given notes, but it is mostly with WB, where it started,” Gunn wrote. “Everything forward in live-action we’re involved with.”

What do you think of this new look at Joker: Folie a Deux? Are you excited for the upcoming DC film? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Joker: Folie a Deux will be released exclusively in theaters on October 4, 2024.