Key Takeaways:
· Joker: Folie À Deux, while different from its predecessor, promises another intense exploration into Arthur Fleck's deranged world.
· Joaquin Phoenix returns for the sequel, marking his first time reprising a role.
· Despite some musical elements, director Todd Phillips hesitates to categorize the film as a musical.
· Joker 3 may not be on the cards, regardless of how well the sequel performs.
Digging Deeper into Joker: Folie À Deux
Coming off the surprise worldwide success of the first Joker movie, which raked in over $1 billion dollars, fans are eagerly anticipating its sequel, Joker: Folie À Deux. This next installment promises to continue the intense and engrossing experience given by Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Arthur Fleck.
Bucking a career trend, Phoenix is reprising his role in a feature for the first time, adding to the buzz and excitement for the sequel. The film also casts other stars like Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Harry Lawtey, and brings back Zazie Beetz in her role as Sophie Dumond.
A Musical Touch, But Not Exactly a Musical
The Joker sequel takes an intriguing turn by introducing musical elements, with lead characters Arthur and Lee, played by Phoenix and Lady Gaga, breaking into songs like “Get Happy”, “For Once in My Life” and “That's Life”. However, director Todd Phillips stops short of calling it a full-blown musical.
Phillips remarked that the songs in the film are more accurately seen as dialogue rather than standard musical numbers, explaining that Arthur uses them to express feelings he cannot put into words. Still, Phillips is keen not to mislead audiences about the movie's nature, taking care to point out that Joker: Folie À Deux isn't a street-dancing spectacle like ‘In the Heights.'
No Joker 3 on the Horizon
While fans may be hopeful for a third installment, Phillips curbs that enthusiasm for now. He told Variety, “It was fun to play in this sort of sandbox for two movies, but I think we've said what we wanted to say in this world”. So, even if the sequel garners another billion dollars, the chances of Joker 3 happening look slim.
More on Joker: Folie À Deux
While plot details are being tightly held, much of the sequel is said to be set in Arkham Asylum, keeping the audience hooked in Arthur's deranged world. The release date for Joker: Folie À Deux is set for October 4th and fans globally are gearing up for another deep dive into the dark and chaotic mind of Arthur Fleck.
In conclusion, it looks like fans will have to be content with Joker: Folie À Deux, savoring each moment as it may be the last in this engagingly chaotic world birthed by Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips. While we all love a good trilogy, it seems the Joker's journey will wrap with its second run. But then again, who can predict what's around the corner in Tinseltown?
