Inside the Narrative: The Storyline of Joker: Folie à Deux

 

Joker: Folie à Deux After what Todd Phillips accomplished in his 2019 masterpiece Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Arthur Fleck, fans have been biding their time for any and all details about a sequel.

 

That news came in 2022 when the team behind the movie announced Joker: Folie à Deux will be hitting theatres on October 4, 2024. Todd Phillips broke the news in August of 2022 when he took to Instagram revealing Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga as his leads.

 

There is much we want to share with you about this iconic sequel, so let’s skip the introductory pleasantries and dive right into the punchlines.

 

 

 

Why Is Joker: Folie à Deux Releasing In October?

 

The highly anticipated October release of Joker: Folie à Deux is meant for a lot of reasons. Some of us want it to be related to Halloween, coz why not.

 

But in truth, the movie’s clever October release window means it can compete with all the big-time awards, including the Oscars, which will systematically be hosted in 2025. ENTOIN bets big on Joker: Folie à Deux taking home at least two Academy Awards.

 

You heard it here first, so let’s see what happens in October this year and later when award season starts to unfurl.

 

 

 

What Is Joker: Folie à Deux About?

 

Since it is a direct and official sequel to the 2019 movie Joker, we can expect this story to carry Arthur Fleck’s character arc forward, hopefully in a darker more daring direction.

 

The first movie gave fans a stunning introduction to the Joker’s origin story. The same Joker who later became one of the biggest and baddest villains to torment Batman. In Todd Phillips’ versions, we’re getting a wonderful peek into the man behind the madness, so to speak.

 

The humanity that once defined Arthur is often forgotten when people just how terribly frightful and creepy he later became as the Clown Prince of Crime. We have a feeling this is probably what Batman sees in the Joker, namely the man who was once broken by society and not the criminal he became as a result of it.

 

A lot of interesting parallels here to how society broke Bruce Wayne himself, only he ended up becoming the Dark Knight. In Joker: Folie à Deux, we are not just getting Arthur Fleck but a veritable duet.

 

Enter, Lady Gaga! Playing Harley Quinn, another iconic rogues-gallery villain, Gaga is going to make us all go gaga – if those first-look photos were anything to go by – with her portrayal of Quinn.

 

 

 

The Story In Joker: Folie à Deux

 

For one thing, Folie à Deux is a psychological thriller. That, in itself, tells us a lot about what we can expect to find in the movie when it releases in October later this year.

 

Todd Phillips co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver – known for acclaimed movies like Johns, The Mod Squad, and 8 Mile. Scott also penned the screenplay for 2019’s Joker, so we can certainly expect a high standard of storytelling in Folie à Deux.

 

Since the movie is essentially a follow-up to the 2019 one, we may see a growth trajectory take place for Arthur Fleck. The first movie expertly and empathically showcased his mentally unstable nature, so perhaps in Folie à Deux we may get to see him transform a little more into the despicable villain we all know and love from DC’s rogues gallery.

 

So far, we can only speculate on what the story is going to be in Joker: Folie à Deux. Go check out the new poster and R rating, and mark your calendars for October 2024.

 

We may know more about the plot closer to the movie’s release date on Oct 4.

 

 

 

Risks & Expectations Behind Joker: Folie à Deux

 

The Taxi Driver vibes in 2019’s Joker, along with Joaquin Phoenix’s stellar performance, elevated this movie and made it a golden benchmark in super-villain storytelling. This, in itself, is going to be tricky to beat in a follow-up sequel.

 

Next, we have Arthur Fleck’s mentally challenged persona to consider. It wasn’t met with a warm welcome (in some circles) when the 2019 movie came out. But here’s hoping the 2024 sequel delivers a more intricate peek into Arthur’s struggles, so it won’t alienate or criminalize people going through mental challenges in the real world.

 

A while after Joker 2019 released, it went on to become the sixth highest-grossing film that year. It also earned status as the first R-rated movie in history to gross over $1 Billion worldwide.

 

With increased competition in 2024, chances are Joker: Folie à Deux might not see similar success. But then again, the addition of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn has the propulsion fuel needed to carry the movie to the stars, and beyond.

 

Awards season is one of the top focal points for Joker: Folie à Deux. How can we tell? Its release window in early October puts it well within the margin of award considerations.

 

The 2019 movie saw Phoenix taking home an Academy Award for Best Actor thanks to his exquisite and haunting portrayal of Arthur Fleck. Aside from him, Hildur Guðnadóttir earned an Oscar for Best Original Score, and the movie itself won 11 gilded nominations in total.

 

With Lady Gaga in the picture, we’re looking at another potential awards season sweep. But bear in mind that, based on educated observations, even if Joaquin Phoenix gives another brilliant performance, he may not land a second Oscar for the same role.

 

This may leave the stage open for Gaga to flex her worth, which she’s already proven to do in films like House of Gucci and A Star Is Born.

 

 

Exploring The Jukebox-Musical Angle of Joker: Folie à Deux

 

Lawrence Sher, the cinematographer of Joker: Folie à Deux, shared an interesting update about how this particular movie is going to come as quite the surprise for a lot of people.

 

He was referring to the jukebox-musical angle, which made its way into the film’s creative palette early on. In essence, Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix will indulge or experience popular soundtracks and covers as the story progresses.

 

The very aesthetic of this sequel is woven into this idea, as Lawrence Sher postulated. He also stated that the decision wasn’t exactly new. Something similar was achieved in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1981 movie “One from the Heart.” A cinematographer plays a vital role in communicating such visuals to audiences.

 

After all, Joker: Folie à Deux is no longer an ordinary movie, but a musical hybrid with a generous helping of romance. Here’s wishing Lawrence Sher and Todd Phillips all the luck and smarts they need to give us a movie worth watching – and dancing to – over and over again.

 

 

Is Lady Gaga Going To Sing New Songs In Joker: Folie à Deux?

 

 

There is a strong rumour that the highly talented Lady Gaga may drop a few original tunes for the movie. That’s something for Gaga fans to keep their ears perked for.

 

Gaga herself has been teasing this possibility on her social media, but nothing has been set in stone. We may know more closer to the movie’s release date or after it hits theatres.

 

This is one spoiler we all want to hear!

 

 

Is Joker: Folie à Deux A Harley Quinn Origin Story?

 

When it comes to a live-action Harley Quinn, Margot Robbie did it second (more on this soon). We’re not considering cosplayers in this equation, although a lot of them deserve credit for creating some of the most amazing Harley Quinn looks over the years.

 

In the realm of TV, Mia Sara breathed life into the first-ever live-action Harley Quinn. That was back in 2002 for the series “Birds of Prey,” which in itself was based on the comic book series after the same name.

 

Then came 2006 and “Suicide Squad” in which Margot Robbie took on the daring role of the psych doctor who went psycho. So, technically, Lady Gaga is only the third live-action Harley Quinn actress.

 

The first movie covered the Joker’s origins as Arthur Fleck, a man wronged by society and made to seem like a clown in his own life. So, if the 2019 Joker is anything to judge by, we are guessing Folie à Deux is probably going to contain a Harley Quinn origin story.

 

 

What Does Margot Robbie Think About Lady Gaga As Harley Quinn?

 

 

Margot Robbie is not exactly passing the baton to Lady Gaga. As we explored in the previous section, their characters are framed in entirely different settings and are designed to deliver intricately distinct portrayals of the one and only Harley Quinn.

 

But fans have been demanding to know what the outstanding Margot Robbie had to say about Gaga taking on this signature role. These were her words about Lady Gaga’s casting:“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… It’s such an honour 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 [Gaga] do something incredible with it.”

 

 

Has Joker: Folie à Deux Finished Shooting?

 

Production successfully wrapped in April of 2023. During the final phase of shooting, fans reported seeing Joaquin Phoenix at the iconic Bronx Shakespeare Steps, a place made even more famous after the jig he performed there in the 2019 Joker movie.

 

The movie portrays a seedy Gotham City, set in the 70s. A good portion of the shoot was done down south in Los Angeles. The reason for this was the whopping $12.6 Million in tax credits Warner Bros. received from the state of California, particularly the California Film Commission’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program.

 

 

Core Characters In Joker: Folie à Deux

 

This movie is all about characters. It isn’t just a story about villains and baddies, but an intense human portrayal of the people we’ve been seeing as deranged criminals in popular comic books and commercial superhero movies.

 

Here are some of the core characters in Joker: Folie à Deux…

 

1. Arthur Fleck

 

The Clown Prince of Crime who went on to terrorize Gotham and become a killer joke in Batman’s life… That Clown Prince started out as Arthur Fleck, an ordinary man with mental health challenges that society stoked out of proportion.

 

So instead of becoming a rehabilitated citizen, Arthur gradually lost himself to the darkness in his soul and became The Joker. Arthur Fleck is played by Joaquin Phoenix.

 

2. Harley Quinn

 

Armed with a Bachelor’s in psychology, Harley Quinn found herself serving the inmates of Arkham Asylum. But one of them seemed to possess the manipulative chops to deceive even her astute mind.

 

Some say, Harley voluntarily surrendered to her own inner madness. Qualified in psychoanalysis, criminology, and forensic psychiatry, Quinn gave all that up after she fell head over heels in love with her “puddin’” Arthur Fleck, aka The Joker.

 

She gave it all up for a life of crime and delusion. Harley Quinn is played by Lady Gaga.

 

 

Important Side-Characters In Joker: Folie à Deux

 

So far, the team is keeping a lot of facts under wraps. Aside from the movie’s leads – Joaquin as the Joker and Gaga as Harley Quinn – we know little to nothing of what roles other noteworthy artists are going to play in Joker: Folie à Deux.

 

Here are some of the names confirmed to be part of the cast:

 

1. Brendan Gleeson

The renowned actor – known for his roles in movies like The Banshees of Inisherin and the Harry Potter films – has been cast in Folie à Deux. His role is as-yet undisclosed, but rumour has it he’ll be playing someone connected to Arkham Asylum.

 

Whether he’s inside or outside that deranged establishment, only time will tell.

 

2. Catherine Keener

The outstanding actress of hit movies like Get Out and The Adam Project is playing an undisclosed role in Folie à Deux. Judging from her past acting credits, we have a good feeling she’s going to get a really intense role in this one.

 

3. Jacob Lofland

Our money had been on the possibility that this talented actor could be portraying the younger version of Harvey Dent, who later became Gotham’s DA and then the dastardly villain known as Two-Face.

 

But as far as we know, he’s playing an Arkham Asylum inmate, which changes things a little. Known for his work in series like The Son and movies like Maze Runner, this intriguing actor could be playing a juicier role than most.

 

We know this, because he’s going to be friends with fellow inmate Arthur Fleck.

 

4. Zazie Beetz

Zazie’s character has already been confirmed in Folie à Deux. The amazing actress – known for her work in productions like Bullet Train, Deadpool 2, Black Mirror, and Atlanta – will be playing Sophie Dumond.

 

This character happens to be Arthur Fleck’s neighbour, the same one we saw in the 2019 Joker movie. Arthur used to day-dream about romancing her. It was later assumed that she’d fallen victim to one of his enraged sprees, but news of her return proves otherwise.

 

 

Where Is Joker: Folie à Deux Streaming?

 

It is way too early to discuss streaming for Joker: Folie à Deux. As of this writing, the Todd Phillips sequel has a theatrical release window set for October 4, 2024.

 

We may receive further confirmations on where Joker: Folie à Deux will be streaming nearer or after that date.

 

 

Is Joker: Folie à Deux DC Canon?

 

Unfortunately, no. Since DC Studios gained James Gunn and Peter Safran as its new co-CEOs, news reached the entertainment Press that Joker: Folie à Deux is not an official part of DC canon.

 

This is in direct contrast to movies like “The Suicide Squad” which have been confirmed as an official part of Gunn and Safran’s new canonical direction for DC.

 

 

Latest Updates For Joker: Folie à Deux

 

The Motion Picture Association recently gave Joker: Folie à Deux a crisp R rating. So fans can expect to see “strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality and brief full nudity” (according to the MPA’s daily ratings bulletin).

 

The movie is also said to be a jukebox musical. This means plenty of song covers are going to be involved. Joker and Harley will most probably be vocalizing popular tunes or dancing to them.

 

Lady Gaga’s musical prowess is renowned all over the world. As for Joaquin himself, his role as Johnny Cash in the Oscar-nominated biopic Walk The Line (2005) speaks for itself.

 

So a jukebox-musical with these two in the lead sounds amazing; pun intended. Variety magazine has stated there will be “15 reinterpretations of well-known songs.” There may be a few original songs as well, but as of this writing, we can’t be sure.

 

We do know that one of the tunes is going to be Judy Garland’s That’s Entertainment – originally seen in the 1953 musical The Band Wagon. A brand new poster has also been released (in April 2023) for Folie à Deux.

 

It features our iconic duo indulging a waltz. The caption reads “The world is a stage,” referencing Shakespeare’s famous line, and setting up a nice layer of intrigue for what fans can expect to find in the movie.