Did Joker: Folie à Deux teaser trailer just reveal Harley Quinn and Joker's first meet spot? Story explored
The first teaser for Joker: Folie à Deux was just released online, confirming that the trailer is set to drop at 06:30 pm PT, and alongside that, we got our first footage from the film. The footage sees Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck, aka Joker, standing in the middle of Arkham, the same location where he meets Harley Quinn for the first time, and it certainly looks like the film is teasing the villainous duo's first meet-up.
With Joker: Folie à Deux being a sequel to 2019's Joker, it's very clear that the film will be picking up where the first film left off—with Fleck in Arkham. The sequel is set to introduce Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the Joker's girlfriend in comics, and the movie is certainly teasing their first meet in the mental institute—the same place where they were brought together in Harley Quinn's debut.
Joker and Harley Quinn's first meet location teased in Joker: Folie à Deux's teaser
One of the most surprising trivia behind Harley Quinn is that she actually didn't make her debut in a comic, but rather first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series. The show's sequel, The New Batman Adventures, also fleshed out her origin story more in the episode titled Mad Love, which saw Harleen Quinzel meet the Clown Prince of Crime in Arkham.
In the episode, Harleen Quinzel is revealed to be a psychiatrist in Arkham Asylum and takes up the job of interviewing the Joker because she has a penchant for interviewing criminals and getting a look inside their minds. While interviewing Joker, he manipulates her by showcasing his vulnerable side, and eventually Harleen starts falling for him.
However, Joker later escapes from Arkham Asylum only to be brought in brutally beaten up by Batman, and Quinzel stages a breakout by donning a jester outfit and naming herself Harley Quinn. This is what starts their romance in comics.
Joker (2019)'s end saw Arthur Fleck be admitted into Arkham Asylum
Given that the end of Joker (2019) saw Arthur Fleck be put into Arkham Asylum, there is a very good chance that we will get to see his and Harleen's relationship develop as the duo take Gotham by surprise and become the new dynamic duo of crime in Gotham in Joker: Folie à Deux.
The relationship has been explored in live-action in the past in Suicide Squad (2016) where Joker was portrayed by Jared Leto and Harley Quinn was portrayed by Margot Robbie. Lady Gaga will be the second actress to portray the villain in films.
The first trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux is currently set to drop at 06:30 pm PT. We already got our first look at Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn in the past thanks to director Todd Phillips' Instagram posts. Joker: Folie à Deux is reportedly described as a jukebox musical, meaning that it will feature covers of already popular songs.
Joker: Folie à Deux was also recently Rated R for its violent content and also features mild nudity. It will be separate from James Gunn's upcoming DC Universe and also Matt Reeves' The Batman Universe and is set to release in theatres on October 4, 2024.