Joker: Folie à Deux is a sequel to the movie Joker that will feature musical delirium shared between Joker and Harley Quinn. The film will have at least 15 songs and will be released in October 2024, continuing the story of Arthur Fleck. The trailer shows Arthur and Harley united in musical detours from reality in Arkham. The film's title, Folie À Deux, means shared delirium, reflecting the characters' chaotic partnership. The movie will be a jukebox musical, with dynamic covers of pre-existing songs, and promises to portray the romance and shared delusion of Joker and Harley in a unique way.
Summary
Joker: Folie à Deux will feature a shared musical delirium between Joker and Harley Quinn. The title teased the shared musical delusion from the start, and it has been reported that the movie will feature at least 15 songs. The Joker sequel will use music to portray the evolving romance and chaotic partnership between Joker and Harley.
The first trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux has been released by Warner Bros., confirming an important theory about the new musical elements in the sequel. Starring Joaquin Phoenix returning as Arthur Fleck, the titular Joker will be accompanied by Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn. To this end, the trailer quickly establishes that Arthur and Haley will be united in the same musical detours from reality.
Due for release in October 2024, Joker: Folie à Deux will continue the events of director Todd Phillips' first film. This seems to include the ongoing hallucinations of Arthur Fleck, who became the Joker and was later imprisoned after apparently inspiring a major riot on the streets of Gotham City. To this end, it seems that Gaga's Quinn will join the Joker in his detachment from reality, albeit with the new addition and greater focus on songs and musical numbers.
Here are all the new DC movies confirmed to be in development by WB for 2024 onwards, including release dates and where they belong in the franchise.
The musical elements of Joker 2 are part of the shared illusion of the Joker and Harley Quinn
A musical rejection of reality
As seen in the opening scenes of the first trailer for Joker 2, Arthur Fleck is still being held at Arkham. While being escorted through the corridors of the psychiatric center by two guards, Joker sees Harley Quinn in another room taking part in what appears to be group music therapy. Similarly, off-screen commentary is made about the use of music and its intended healing ability:
"We use music to make us whole. To balance the fractures within us."
Instead, it seems that Harley and Arthur will end up using music to motivate each other's psychological challenges with a shared illusion of music. This is very apparent in the various scenes seen in the new trailer, many of which show Joker and Harley dancing and singing on stages and sets. This includes the pair dancing on the roof of the notorious "Arkham Hotel" (rather than the institution it actually is).
Joker 2's explanation of its musical elements was in the title all along: Folie À Deux Meaning explained
The biggest clue in the movie
Of course, this delusion shared by the song was teased in the title of the Joker sequel from the start. After all, "Folie à Deux" means "sharing a delusion between two or more people in a close relationship" in French, also known as Shared Delusional Disorder. To this end, it seems that the respective mental struggles belonging to Arthur and Harley are likely to escalate and merge when they are brought together, taking the form of various musical numbers as a likely means of coping with and balancing a harsher reality.
The idea of several musical numbers with singing and dancing is certainly a new convention and an exciting departure from Phillips' first Joker movie. As such, it will more than likely help to show how Harley's introduction into Arthur's life will change him, perhaps motivating an even deeper descent into the chaotic identity that is the Joker. What's more, music is always a strong medium for portraying on-screen romance, even those as infamous and dysfunctional as that of the Joker and Harley.
How much of Joker 2 will be a musical?
There will be lots of music and performances
Since then, it has been revealed that Joker: Folie à Deux will be a jukebox musical, which means that the movie will largely feature dynamic covers of pre-existing songs. As such, it should be very exciting to know which hits and romantic duos will be performed by Gaga and Phoenix. Similarly, it has been reported that Joker 2 will include around 15 songs and probably more original tracks too.
In short, it's no exaggeration to imagine that Lady Gaga will write at least one original song for the next Joker: Folie à Deux. However, this is only conjecture and has not yet been officially confirmed. Either way, the Joker sequel promises to provide a unique vision of a musical feature, using music and dance to convey the developing romance and shared illusion of Joker and Harley as they evolve into the newest iteration of one of DC Comics' most chaotic and volatile couples.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips' critically acclaimed comic book thriller, Joker. Reprising his Oscar-winning performance as failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as the Joker's lover, Harley Quinn, in this standalone DC Universe continuity.
Director Todd Phillips
Release date October 4, 2024
Studio(s) Warner Bros.
Distributor(s) Warner Bros.
Writers Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
Joker franchise(s)
Main release dates
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