“Joker: Folie à Deux”
This is known for the “Joker” sequel
Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix during the filming of “Joker 2”.
© imago/Cover Images
The successful film “Joker” will be continued with a second part this year. These five things are already known about “Joker 2”.
Viewers have finally seen the first trailer for the highly anticipated “Joker” sequel “Folie à Deux”. As things stand, the new, dark DC film will be released in German cinemas on October 3rd this year. Besides Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix (49), who received an Oscar for his performance in the first part, is this time starring superstar Lady Gaga (38) in the adult superhero film directed again by director Todd Phillips (53). Below are five details about the upcoming “Joker 2”.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” will most likely be a musical
There is currently a bit of confusion about the extent to which the new “Joker” film will be a musical. So had about the US industry magazine “Variety” as recently as March of this year, citing insider sources in Hollywood, reported that “Joker: Folie à Deux” will be a so-called jukebox musical in which “at least 15 interpretations of very well-known songs” will appear.
As an example of such a song, Variety listed the song “That’s Entertainment” from the classic Hollywood musical “Curtain Raise!” at. In the trailer for “Joker 2,” however, you can hear a cover of the famous song “What The World Needs Is Love.”
Is “Joker 2” really a musical?
At the US cinema trade fair CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where the “Joker 2” trailer was presented yesterday, April 9th (local time), said director Todd Phillips However, when asked whether the new film is a musical: “We’ve never really talked about it, but I like to say that it’s a film in which music is an essential element. For me, that doesn’t change too much from the first film.”
The “Joker” maker went on to explain that Arthur Fleck, played by lead actor Phoenix, has always had “music in him”. Therefore, the sequel’s musical direction “doesn’t feel like such a big step. It’s different, but I think it’ll make sense when you see it,” Phillips said.
Harley Quinn is not a psychiatrist in Joker: Folie à Deux
Lady Gaga takes on the role of the legendary Joker partner Harley Quinn from “Barbie” star Margot Robbie (33), who played the character in the previous DC films “Suicide Squad”, “Birds of Prey: The Emancipation of Harley Quinn” and “The Suicide Squad”.
In contrast to Robbie’s interpretation of the character and the origin in the DC Comics, Harley Quinn in “Joker 2” will apparently not be a psychiatrist who treats the main character of the superhero work in Arkham Asylum in order to later fall for him to become his accomplice.
Instead, the new “Joker” trailer shows that Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn is also imprisoned in Arkham Asylum. In the trailer, the character suggests to the Joker that he should try to break out of the psychiatric institution together with the words “Let’s get out of here.”
Lady Gaga’s role predecessor, Margot Robbie, has given her successor her blessing. “That makes me so happy because I’ve said from the beginning that all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters – like Macbeth or Batman – that is always passed from one great actress to the next.” said Robbie According to “Entertainment Weekly” to “MTV News”.
This is how much money the “Joker 2” stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga earn
The first “Joker” part was a gigantic financial success. Over $1 billion was raised at the global box office, which is particularly unusual for a film with an adult rating.
Given this success, everything about “Joker 2” is a lot bigger. The film’s budget has grown from around 60 million US dollars (the equivalent of around 55.2 million euros) to a rumored 150 million (around 138 million euros). Returnees and leading actor Joaquin Phoenix in particular can also look forward to a handsome salary. He is expected to earn 20 million US dollars (around 18.4 million euros) from the sequel. For Lady Gaga there is still 10 million dollars (around 9.2 million euros), as the industry magazine “Variety” reports.
Joker: Folie à Deux is not part of the DC canon – will Batman still appear in it?
With the new, announced DCU films led by James Gunn (57) such as “Superman”, the old and new “Joker” films do not share a common universe. Rather, “Joker 1 and 2” as well as “The Batman” and “The Batman – Part II” take place in separate worlds, separate universes. The name for this is “DC: Elseworlds”. Characters like the new Superman played by David Corenswet (30) will therefore become Joaquin Phoenix’ Arthur Fleck don’t visit Gotham City.
However, it would be conceivable that director Phillips would cast his own Batman and have him appear in “Joker 2”. So said filmmaker Phillips already in 2020: “It’s a beautiful Gotham. I’d like to see what Batman looks like in this Gotham. I’m not saying I will.”
“Joker 2” is definitely not suitable for young people
A few days ago it was announced that the new “Joker” film would also be rated for adults. This was decided by the US Motion Picture Association.
According to the review, “Joker 2” contains “some graphic scenes of violence, profanity, some sexuality, and a brief nude scene,” among other things the industry journal “Deadline” reported. There is currently no assessment of the film from the German FSK.