There are some exciting rumors about Joaquin Phoenix returning for Joker 2, an anticipated followup to the surprise 2019 blockbuster that kicked things off in this budding franchise. With a wholly different take on the Clown Prince of Crime than we’ve seen in the past, folks were rightfully anxious about getting another story in this world; seeing more Arthur Fleck.
Deadline reported that a sequel is in the works and it already has a working title, Joker: Folie à deux.
The development of the Joker sequel came on the heels of writer and director Todd Phillips posting a copy of Scott Silver’s script on Instagram. The original title for the script is Folie à deux, which implies close intimacy, and it looks like it was completed about a month ago.
He left no other comment, letting the picture do all of the necessary explaining for the time being. Folie à Deux is french for a mental disorder that affects two or more people and often times those people belonging to the same family.
It’s not difficult to see where this movie is going because Joker 2 is based on a mental illness, Joaquin Phoenix and the character itself.
Todd Phillips posted a picture with Joaquin Phoenix sitting down reading the Joker 2 script. This could be interpreted as the actor returning to the film. He is widely considered to be the creative force behind the Joker character, taking it in a slow burn where he won an award at the Academy Awards. It also received a Best Picture nomination on the same year.
It’s interesting to see if Joker 2 or Joker: Folie à deux can reach the same box office heights as the first film. Joker was one of the truly surprising blockbusters ever and made it over $1.07 billion in ticket sales with a budget of about $70 million.
The movie, despite the fact that there was considerable anticipation for how Phoenix and Phillips took on the character, few did see that it would essentially crush in this way. And considering, at least for now, it is sitting outside in relation to the other Warner Bros. and DC properties that include the DCEU as well as The Batman which has its own budding universe, it even more impressive that this film has made a world of difference.
Some of the biggest hurdles for Joker 2 have already been cleared, but expect updates on concrete release dates and casting decisions in due course.
