When the credits rolled on 2019’s Joker, it would have been easy to assume that the standalone Batman villain spinoff movie would work as a single installment. But surprise: Joker 2 is happening.
Director Todd Phillips confirmed the news Tuesday on Instagram. The uncaptioned post includes a shot of the script’s cover with the title, “Folie a Deux,” along with a photo of Joaquin Phoenix reading the text.
Phillips introduced Joker’s backstory through Arthur Fleck, a failed comedian who unraveled and went on a violent spree. Will Phillips expand on the character’s origin story, or will there be a new angle based on the chaos at Arkham Asylum? The last time viewers saw Fleck, he was strutting down the halls of the asylum, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind.
As for the sequel? There may be a hint in the title, which implies that two or more people are affected by the same mental condition. We’ll leave theories to the fans, but Phillips left the original film’s ending open to interpretation. Was it an Arkham delusion? Did Fleck inspire the real Joker?
It’s notable that Phoenix’s Joker is not officially part of the DC Extended Universe. Barry Keoghan played Joker in The Batman, and the villain has had many other iterations in movies and TV. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some future connection to the comic book giant’s cinematic franchise, especially since The Flash looks like it’ll open up the DC’s multiverse when it hits theaters on June 23, 2023.
Phoenix won an Oscar for his depiction, and the film grossed over $1 billion at the box office. Currently, Joker can be streamed on HBO Max.
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