Todd Phillips has shared new details about Joker: Folie à Deux while also discussing what inspired the new film in a wide-ranging interview.
Phillips sat down for an interview with Variety prior to the film's debut and finally shared some details about the film. While a good portion of the interview discusses the inspirations for the film – which all began with a dream Joaquin Phoenix had during the production of the first film – there were also details to be had.
The film is set two years after the original and sees Arthur locked up in a psych ward and facing the death penalty. He then meets another patient named Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Lady Gaga) who is obsessed with what he did as the Joker. Arthur decides to give up his medications for her and finds himself entering a fantasy world of musicals.
Throughout the film, you will see Arthur's songs focus more on romance, while Lee's are more about power.
Despite the number of songs, Phillips doesn't want the film labeled as a musical, mainly because the majority of it takes place in their imaginations. "I just don’t want people to think that it’s like In the Heights, where the lady in the bodega starts to sing and they take it out onto the street, and the police are dancing," said Phillips. "No disrespect, because I loved In the Heights."
Joker hit theaters in 2019 and quickly became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time--a seat it finally lost in 2024 to Deadpool & Wolverine. The Clown Prince of Crime raked in $1.07 billion at the worldwide box office, followed by Deadpool 2 and Deadpool at $786 and $782 million respectively. Phillips' unique take on the character was also nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning two of those. Joaquin Phoenix won Best Actor, while Hildur Guðnadóttir took him a golden statue for Original Music Score.
Phoenix returns to once again star in the sequel, and Todd Phillips has returned to both write and direct. Alongside Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn, there are currently unconfirmed reports of Zazie Beetz, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, and Jacob Lofland joining the cast as well.
The film's title already feels like a solid fit for the characters. The term 'folie à deux,' or 'folly of two' is a French term that refers to a condition of shared psychosis or shared delusional disorder. Applying real-world medical terms to fictional characters can be rocky, but if ever there was a term to describe Joker and Harley Quinn, this sure seems like it.
Joker: Folie à Deux will hit theaters on Oct. 4, 2024.
