Director Todd Phillips Posts New Pictures from ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ as Filming Wraps
With the movie now headed to the post-production stage, Phillips is offering a new look at his much-anticipated sequel.
Lady Gaga in Director Todd Phillips' ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.' Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips' Instagram account.
That’s a wrap for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the follow-up to Todd Phillips’ fascinating, gritty, Oscar-winning and billion dollar box office earner from 2019.
As the movie finishes the main production phase and heads to the editing room (or “cave” as Phillips describes it), the director has shared new imagery of stars Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in make-up and costume.
What is ‘Folie à Deux’ about?
Little has been released officially about the new film, but it sees the return of Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, the wannabe comedian struggling with mental health issues who, besieged by disappointment and fueled by rage, slowly segues into a psychopathic killer and agent of chaos.
Fleck ended up in Arkham Asylum –– the infamous facility for psychotic criminals from the ‘Batman’ comic book universe, and the new movie appears to take place to some degree there.
Arkham is where the Joker (usually, at least) meets one Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, who eventually becomes obsessed with him –– and he, in turn, slowly drives her insane until she becomes Harley Quinn, the character who has long been part of comics canon and most recently on the big screen by Margot Robbie in the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and her own spin-off.
We have yet to find out how Phillips will treat that pairing –– from the looks of set imagery and now this wrap pic, Gaga certainly looks like she’s playing some version of Harley.
There will be some carry over from the first movie –– Zazie Beetz is back as Sophie Dumond, the neighbor with whom Arthur had a relationship (at least until, spoiler alert, it was revealed as all in his head).
And we have other new cast members besides Gaga, since Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Jacob Lofland are all in the ensemble.
Joaquin Phoenix in Director Todd Phillips' ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.' Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips' Instagram account.
Is the ‘Joker’ sequel really a musical?
The most fascinating aspect of the new film, especially considering the kitchen sink grot and crime of the original, is that ‘Folie à Deux’ is indeed planned as a musical.
Gaga’s hiring pointed to that, and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir told Variety on a BAFTA red carpet that she was intrigued by the idea.
Here’s what she had to say,
“It’s an interesting decision. And I think it’s really exciting to see how it unfolds. And I think it’s somehow logical at the same time. It’s both logical and also very surprising. For me as well as the audience. So far it’s just been a really beautiful conversation and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds.”
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is scheduled to land in theaters on October 4th, 2024, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see more from the movie.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Joker: Folie à Deux:’
- 'Batman' (1966)
- ‘Batman' (1989)
- 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
- 'Suicide Squad' (2016)
- 'Batman: The Killing Joke' (2016)
- 'Joker' (2019)
- 'Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)' (2020)
- 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' (2021)
- 'The Suicide Squad' (2021)
- 'The Batman' (2022)
Buy Joker Movies On Amazon
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is produced by Joint Effort, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, and Bron Studios. It is set to release in theaters on October 4th, 2024.
