Joker 2’s mix of dark-whimsical tone was teased by director Todd Philips at his appearance at CinemaCon

The 2019 Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix was a game changer for DC as director Todd Phillips created something unique out of the character that was never done before. Instead of the usual confrontation between Joker and Batman, the film focused on exploring Joker’s psychological deterioration in a crime-ridden Gotham City.

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in 2019’s Joker
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in 2019’s Joker
The sequel to the film Joker: Folie à Deux is coming this October, and Phillips released the first look teaser of the film at CinemaCon during the Warner Bros presentation. The teaser showed some musical numbers featuring Phoenix and Lady Gaga. During his presentation, Phillips called out the recent rumors about the film being a musical and cleared the air about the matter.

Todd Phillips Has A Narrative Explanation About The Musical Numbers in Joker 2
Joker 2 promises a crazy ride with the two characters
Joker: Folie à Deux promises a crazy/trippy ride with the two characters
When the sequel to 2019’s Joker was announced, fans were thrilled and wondered about where Joaquin Phoenix‘s character could go after the craziness that ensued in the first film. Rumors started circulating recently that Todd Phillips was integrating musical numbers in the film, with some concluding that the film is going to be a musical.

Phillips stated that the music and dance numbers are an integral part of the film but did not intend the film to be a full-blown musical. He explained how Arthur Fleck has had a certain grace about him, pointing out the dance scene from the first film. The director further promised that the second film would not veer far away from the tone of the first film and that the musical numbers would make sense once fans saw the film. Phillips said (via Entertainment Weekly),

“We never really talked about it like that, but I like to say it’s a film where music is an essential element. To me, that doesn’t veer too far from the first film, Arthur [Fleck]’s weird and aloof and all these things, but he has music in him. He has a grace to him. That informed a lot of the dancing in the first film… it didn’t feel like that big of a step here. It’s different, but I think it’ll make sense when you see it.”

The musical numbers from the teaser seem like a hallucinatory manifestation of the obsessive love shared between Joker and Harley Quinn. Outside of that, the teaser promises a darker direction involving the two characters as they both wreak havoc on the streets of Gotham.

Todd Phillips Kept Going Back to Lady Gaga While Casting Harley Quinn in Joker 2
Lady Gaga will play Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux
Lady Gaga will play Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux
After 2019’s Joker, Todd Philips wanted to raise the stakes with Joker 2 and introduce another interesting element that will provide a brand new dynamic with Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. Lady Gaga was cast as Harley Quinn in the film and at CinemaCon, Phillips explained why he cast Gaga as the iconic character.

Philips stated that he saw how talented Gaga was when she was making A Star is Born as he was a producer on the film. He found Gaga’s screen presence to be magical and the actress always popped up in Phillips’ mind when he was writing Joker 2 with his co-writer Scott Silver. The director said (via Entertainment Weekly),

“We cast Gaga because she’s magic. I was a producer on A Star Is Born … That was the first time I really met her and got to watch her work. As we were writing this script, Scott [Silver], who I wrote it with, kept going back to her.”

Gaga looks spectacular in the film’s teaser and her sizzling chemistry with Phoenix has floored fans. In addition to Phoenix and Gaga, Joker 2 also stars Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener.

Joker 2 will be released in theatres on October 4, 2024. Fans can watch the 2019’s Joker on Max.