Joker: Folie à Deux
A jukebox musical legal drama sequel to Joker.
Joker: Folie à Deux is a 2024 American jukebox musical legal drama directed by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver. A sequel to 2019's Joker, it draws on DC Comics characters. Joaquin Phoenix returns as Arthur Fleck / Joker, joined by Lady Gaga as Harleen "Lee" Quinzel. The supporting cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, Leigh Gill, and Connor Storrie. The story follows Arthur, held at Arkham State Hospital while awaiting trial for his earlier crimes, as he begins a romantic relationship with fellow patient Lee. During the trial, he starts to doubt his choices after realizing that Lee and others care only about his Joker persona.
Though the first film was meant to stand alone, its box-office success prompted interest in a sequel. Warner Bros. persuaded Phillips and Phoenix to return, granting them greater creative freedom and a much larger budget. The project was announced in June 2022, with Gaga and Beetz joining later that year. Principal photography took place from December 2022 to April 2023 in New York City, Los Angeles, and Belleville, New Jersey.
The film premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2024, and hit U.S. theaters on October 4. Critics panned it, and it bombed at the box office, earning $208 million against a $190–200 million budget. It received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations, winning seven awards including Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel and Worst Screen Combo for Phoenix and Gaga.
- director
- Todd Phillips
- screenplay
- Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
- release_year
- 2024
- genre
- jukebox musical legal drama
- budget
- $190–200 million
- box_office
- $208 million
- golden_raspberry_nominations
- 7
- golden_raspberry_wins
- 7
Lore & Background
Joker: Folie à Deux was announced in June 2022, with Lady Gaga and Zazie Beetz joining later that year. Principal photography took place in New York City, Los Angeles, and Belleville, New Jersey, from December 2022 to April 2023. The film features Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as Arthur Fleck / Joker, alongside Lady Gaga as Harleen 'Lee' Quinzel. The main cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Zazie Beetz, with supporting appearances from Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, Leigh Gill, and Connor Storrie.
The plot follows Arthur Fleck in custody at Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial for his crimes. He meets Harleen Quinzel, who claims to admire his Joker persona. As their relationship develops, they imagine life as a stage musical. During the trial, Arthur renounces his Joker persona, taking full responsibility for his actions. After being found guilty, a bomb explodes outside the courthouse, scarring Harvey Dent. Arthur escapes but is later apprehended and returned to Arkham. There, a young inmate stabs him repeatedly, and Arthur dies from his wounds.
Reader's Guide
Joker: Folie à Deux is significant as a sequel to the 2019 film Joker, which was intended as a standalone film but whose box-office success sparked interest in a follow-up. Warner Bros. convinced director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix to return with more creative freedom and a significantly greater budget. The film is notable for its genre blend of jukebox musical and legal drama, and for introducing Lady Gaga as a grounded version of Harleen Quinzel. Despite its high budget and star power, the film was poorly received by critics and became a box-office bomb. It received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations, winning Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel and Worst Screen Combo for Phoenix and Gaga. The film's ending, in which Arthur is killed by a young inmate who carves a smile on his own face, implies the emergence of a new Joker, though director Todd Phillips did not confirm if this character is the Joker who becomes Batman's archenemy.
Did You Know?
- The film premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2024.
- It won seven Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel and Worst Screen Combo for Phoenix and Gaga.
- The film's budget was $190–200 million, and it grossed $208 million worldwide.
- Nick Cave is heard in the film's opening animated sequence as the singing voice of Joker's shadow.
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