Singer and actress Lady Gaga promises a unique and revolutionary interpretation of the iconic villain in the long-awaited Joker sequel
The first trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux” premiered at CinemaCon last month, and expectations couldn’t be higher. Todd Phillips’ film, which continues the story of Joaquin Phoenix’s troubled Arthur Fleck, introduces us to a stunning version of Harley Quinn, this time played by Lady Gaga. The most shocking new thing in the trailer was the sight of Quinn and Fleck as their partners in Arkham Asylum, which marked a significant change in the character’s dynamic.
A different Harley Quinn.
In a recent interview with Access Hollywood, Gaga revealed a new take on Harley Quinn, making it clear that she’ll be bringing something completely different to the screen. “You know, my version of Harley is mine and it’s very accurate to this movie and these characters,” said the Oscar and Grammy winner. “I’ve never done anything like I did on this film before, so everything will be new and very exciting.”
With these films set outside of the main DCU continuity, there’s always the possibility that Margot Robbie will reprise her role as the version of Quinn we met in “Suicide Squad.” However, Robbie indicated in a 2022 interview that he “offered” the role to Gaga. “It makes me so happy because from the beginning I just wanted Harley Quinn to be one of those characters — like Macbeth or Batman, it’s always passed from one great actor to another,” Robbie said.
“It’s an honor to build such a strong foundation that Harley is now one of the characters that other actors can play. And I think so [Gaga] It will do something amazing with it.
During the CinemaCon panel, Phillips downplayed the much-talked-about musical stuff. We never talk about it, but I like to say that it is a film where music is a very important part. To me, this isn’t much of a departure from the original film. Arthur [Fleck] It’s weird and distant and all that, but it has music in it. He has a grace for him. This informed much of the dance in the first film. It didn’t seem like a big step here. It’s different, but I think it will make sense when you see it.”
Music as a key element
Although it is not confirmed, these singing and dancing sequences are believed to be part of the shared trick between the Joker and Harley, which explains why Phillips does not want to describe the film as an actual musical. Regardless of the songs, we’ve heard that the soundtrack will be “heavily inspired” by Liza Minnelli classics like “Cabaret,” “New York, New York” and “This Is Entertainment.”
We don’t know yet if Lady Gaga is writing the soundtrack, but we’d say there’s a good chance she’ll pen at least one song for the film.
Return and New Faces in Joker: Folie à Deux
In addition to Phoenix and Gaga, “Joker 2” will see the return of Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond along with new cast members Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland and Harry Lautey in yet-to-be-revealed roles. The film is scheduled for release in theaters on October 4, 2024 and is rated R “for some scenes of strong violence, language in general, some sexuality and brief nudity.”
The premiere of “Joker: Folie à Deux” has created huge expectations among movie fans and DC followers. Phillips’ unique vision combined with Lady Gaga’s undeniable talent promises to take Harley Quinn into incredible uncharted territory. With a combination of drama, music and deep psychological exploration of the characters, this sequel has all the ingredients to be another smash hit.