by Todd Phillips is getting the last laugh, as Joker 2 – Joker: Folie à Deux – hits theaters on October 4, 2024.
Following in the bloody footsteps of the 2019 original, the director of The Hangover returns to direct a sequel to the psychological thriller. Joaquin Phoenix also returns as Arthur Fleck, who takes on the mantle of the titular Clown Prince of Crime.
Joker left us with more questions than answers, but with the first film being presented as a standalone unconnected to DC worlds, many thought the story ended there.
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It’s not the typical Batman movie you might expect, and with Joker earning Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor, there’s equally high hopes for Joker: Folie à Deux to star.
If you’re ready to put on a happy face, here’s everything we know about the Joker 2 release date, cast, plot, and more.
Joker 2 release date
Joker: Folie a Deux will hit theaters on October 4, 2024.
Warner Bros. has a hefty slate of upcoming DC movies, with everything from The Batman Part II to The Flash taking us well beyond 2023.
The cast of Joker 2
Surprising no one, Phoenix will once again be slathered in grease paint as Arthur Fleck. 2019’s Joker included an all-star cast that saw the protagonist share the screen with the likes of Frances Conroy, Robert De Niro, and Zazie Beetz. When it comes to returning cast members, there aren’t many options.
Lady Gaga has also confirmed that she will appear alongside Joaquin Phoenix as Harley Quinn in the upcoming sequel. The Chromatica singer shared a red-and-black post on Instagram in August 2022, accompanied by the film’s projected release date.
Phillips, who reunited with writer Scott Silver for the project, also shared the video, captioning it “cheek to cheek.”
On Valentine’s Day 2023, the singer shared her first look at Gaga as Harley Quinn online, and a month later, she was first spotted on set outside the New York State Supreme Court Building.
In early April, Gaga was photographed filming scenes on the famous New York steps that Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck danced in the first film.
One cast member who has seemingly confirmed he’d be returning in Joker 2 is Justin Theroux. The actor made a blink and you’ll miss cameo in the first film as Ethan Chase, host of Murray Franklin’s chat show, and in April 2023 shared a photo on Instagram with Todd Phillips and Lady Gaga with the caption ‘Midnight Joker ‘ and ‘#thatsawrap’.
There’s a chance Zazie Beetz could return as Sophie, as the film’s cinematographer confirmed that despite her ambiguous fate, Fleck didn’t kill her off. The infamous deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne appear to have Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne, but recall the idea that he is Arthur’s father.
Joker’s unreliable narrator means there’s a chance De Niro’s Murray Franklin wasn’t killed off on live television, but we’d be surprised if he returns.
Looking at more likely inclusions, Douglas Hodge could also reprise his role as Alfred Pennyworth, while Dante Pereira-Olsen’s young Bruce Wayne makes sense if Folie à Deux is to explore the origins of Batman and Mr. J’s toxic relationship.
Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland and Harry Lawtey have all been confirmed for the film in unconfirmed roles.
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Finally, with Willem Dafoe talking so much about the Joker – and even pitching his ideas for a sequel – who wouldn’t want to see the Green Goblin actor join the wild party?
Plot of Joker 2
The Hollywood Reporter described Joker 2 as a musical, which would be a huge departure from what’s come before, but to be fair, something quintessentially Joker.
Joker’s ending left things on something of a cliffhanger. An incarcerated Fleck has been locked up in Arkham State Hospital at an undisclosed spot after inciting riots throughout Gotham City. Fleck broke free after possibly killing his therapist, so it’s likely that Folie à Deux will follow him on the run as he continues his descent to becoming the Joker.
The musical concept is another interesting one, suggesting that Joker 2 could follow in the footsteps of everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to The Boys with musical episodes. It also leans further into the idea that we’re going to dive deeper into Fleck’s mind this time around.
Interestingly, the title of Folie à Deux might hint at where things are headed. The title translates as “delusion or mental illness shared by two people in close association,” so it seems Fleck will be sharing the screen with someone else.
Whether it’s the dual personalities of Fleck and the Joker or a direct reference to Batman/Bruce Wayne having a bigger role in Arthur’s evolution, there’s another popular idea.
There is someone other than Batman who shares their life with the Joker, and Folie à Deux is the perfect opportunity to introduce Harley Quinn to this dark and menacing world. Just as Dr. Harleen Quinzel worked at Arkham Asylum, Joker’s perfect ending sets her on her feet.
With Joker standing on his own just like Reeves’ The Batman, it’s doubtful Margot Robbie will make the leap from the Suicide Squad films for Joker 2. The topsy-turvy nature of Joker’s narrative means it’s not entirely outside the realms of possibility. .
To know more: Gary Glitter will not receive royalties for the “Joker” soundtrack.
In 2019, Phillips said he envisioned Joker as the first of three films. As it happens, the 2020 Batman: Three Jokers comic series included three versions of the villain, all of which could take place in live-action.
When Dafoe gave a mythical presentation for Joker 2, the star said, “There’s something interesting about, like, if there’s a Joker imposter. So it would be possible not to have the Joker dueling, but someone who claims to be the Joker who isn’t the Joker.”
Dafoe envisioned a storyline where someone was mimicking what Fleck did, which would effectively transform our tragic anti-hero into a full-blown hero hunting down an even more psychotic clown prince of crime.
Before Joker came out, there were questions about the age difference between Fleck and Bruce Wayne, leading to theories that this version of the Joker isn’t the one Batman ends up fighting. If you’re not convinced, remember that the Waynes were watching Zorro, The Gay Blade, which featured the original Zorro training his gay twin to be the next hero.
Could we see Phoenix pull double duty as Arthur and a twin brother? Probably not, but more Joker is an idea that is catching on. Taking a leaf out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s world-building book, could Phoenix’s Fleck mentor Barry Keoghan’s Joker from The Batman?
However, Reeves and Phillips appear to be keeping their releases as a separate entity from anything in Worlds of DC.
Joker: Folie a Deux is in theaters October 4, 2024.
Watch the Joker trailer
