Joker 2 drops first poster, confirms trailer release date
There are only a few superhero fans around the world who are not waiting for Joker 2 or Joker: Folie à Deux, the only DC film releasing in 2024. A sequel to Todd Phillips's critically acclaimed Oscar-winning Joker, the upcoming film will continue the journey of Arthur Fleck as he descends further into madness and chaos in a crime-ridden Gotham City.
Updates about the film have been few and far, but now we know when the trailer will drop. On Tuesday, April 2, Warner Bros. released the first official poster for the film and announced that fans will be able to get a glimpse into Todd Phillips' twisted world for the first time on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, exactly one week from now.
Alongside other interesting developments, Joker 2 will also introduce a new version of Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. Moreover, the film is slated to be a musical, a first in the superhero movie genre, which has been one of the most trending genres in recent years.
Joker 2 first poster boldly claims, "The World is a Stage"
The first Joaquin Phoenix-led adaptation of the classic character, which has had many versions over the years, including Jack Nicholson's and Heath Ledger's, was more 1970s New Hollywood cinema than a usual superhero/supervillain flick.
In the veins of classics like Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, the first Todd Phillips film delved into the mental aspects of the Joker, eventually tracing his path to becoming the broken psychopath as we know him.
Joker 2 is also aspiring to do something that few imagined doing with a comic adaptation—a musical. The second film in the franchise will reportedly be a "musical jukebox" containing upwards of 15 songs. The poster also claims "The World is a Stage," hinting at both the musical approach of the film and the "performance" that Arthur started putting up by the end of the first film.
The film's composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir, also confirmed this to Variety, saying she thought it was an "interesting decision." She said:
"I think it’s somehow logical at the same time. It’s both logical and also very surprising for me as well as the audience. So far, it’s just been a really beautiful conversation, and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds."
Sadly, these versions of Joker and Harley Quinn will never appear in the mainstream DCU, which is being rebooted under James Gunn. Otherwise, both characters would have made great additions to the stories.
What does the title of Joker: Folie à Deux mean?
The title of Joker 2 is rather interesting, with the director incorporating a French phrase. The literal translation of Folie à Deux is "A folly of two." It refers to a mental illness or delusion shared by two individuals in close proximity to each other. It is sometimes also transmitted from one to another. Of course, this refers to the duo of Joker and Harley Quinn in the upcoming film.
Joker 2 will premiere theatrically on October 4, 2024.