Fans are today finally getting their first proper look at the long-awaited Joker sequel, showcasing the returning Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker, and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
The first full-length trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux has just been released, and while it’s light on dialogue, it does give viewers a good look at Gaga in the role of Harley Quinn.
While the trailer (nor the previous movie) is not directly tied into the overall Warner Bros DC Cinematic Universe or Batman series of movies, Joker was a surprising hit at the box office, which green-lit this sequel to be made.
The trailer also reveals another actor who appears in the film: British comedian Steve Coogan, who’s seen in the trailer interrogating Phoenix’s character Arthur (aka the Joker).
With Todd Phillips back as director, Phoenix reprises his role as the Joker from the first film, which was a huge worldwide hit in 2019.
The sequel is billed as a “musical thriller,” suggesting we’ll hear Gaga use her famous singing voice as she takes on the Harley Quinn role also played by Margot Robbie and Kaley Cuoco in recent DC Comics adaptations.
The trailer does show brief snatches of what appear to be several musical scenes.
2019’s Joker was also a hit during award season, earning 11 nominations at the Academy Awards and delivering Phoenix the Best Actor win.
The previous Joker film is not without its controversy, with many reviewers and online commentators calling the film “a toxic rallying cry for self-pitying incels.” due to the depiction of Pheonix’s Joker character as a mentally ill man who turned to violence against a world that made fun of him.
Others called the 2019 film a rallying cry for mental health in general, with many stating that there would be fewer mass shootings in the US if people like Joker had adequate mental health care which was widely available and affordable.
Will this sequel be just as controversial as the first film, or will this be a more friendly “modern audience” style film – Joker: Folie à Deux will be released in cinemas on October 4, five years to the day since the first film came out.
