The sequel to 2019’s hugely successful Joker film will be a musical, according to an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter. Joaquin Phoenix is expected to return to star in the titular role, and he’ll likely be joined by Lady Gaga, who is in early talks to join the movie as Harley Quinn, Joker’s partner-in-crime. Margot Robbie has played Harley Quinn in recent live-action adaptations of the character that include the original Suicide Squad, its sequel, and Birds of Prey, but the Joker films take place in a different DC universe, enabling other actresses to slip into the role. It was just last week that director Todd Phillips confirmed the official title of Joker 2 to be Joker: Folie à deux.
‘Joker 2’: Lady Gaga in Early Talks to Join Joaquin Phoenix, Todd Phillips in Musical Sequel (Exclusive) https://t.co/wyIatP4ekR
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 14, 2022
[…] Phillips revealed on social media the title of the new project — Joker: Folie à deux — referencing a medical term for an identical or similar mental disorder that affects two or more individuals, usually members of the same family. And while the same social media post showed Phoenix reading the script, the actor’s involvement is not exactly a fait accompli just yet — sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Warners has yet to close a deal with the actor, with the two sides deep into it.
Details on her character are being kept under wraps, but Joker is known for his on-off abusive relationship with Harley Quinn, his psychiatrist at the Arkham Asylum mental institution who falls in love with him and becomes his sidekick and partner in crime. It is unclear whether Phillips and company are using other DC characters or striking out on their own, as they did in many instances with the first movie.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter