The mere existence of Joker: Folie à Deux is remarkable when you remember that Warner Bros. actively tried to dissuade Todd Phillips from making the first installment – refusing to stump up a budget comparable to other superhero titles, and even splitting the distribution rights in the event the R-rated psychological story flopped at the box office.
As we all know, Joaquin Phoenix’s harrowing turn as Arthur Fleck became a cultural phenomenon, going on to blow past a billion dollars at the box office to become both the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history, and the single most profitable comic book adaptation ever made – and that’s without even mentioning the awards season recognition that saw the leading man win an Oscar for Best Actor.
Turning the concept on its head, then, Phillips’ sequel is heading down the musical route. Casting Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn came right out the blue, but given that she’s an Academy Award-nominated actress in her own right, we’re confident she’ll do the iconic DC favorite supreme justice.
One person who certainly seems to think so is recent Folie à Deux addition Brendan Gleeson, who couldn’t speak any higher of his co-stars during an interview with Extra.
“The reason I did the film was because Joaquin’s performance is still absolutely indelible… It was one of the most magnificent achievements of cinema I’ve ever seen. I think Lady Gaga is sensational.”
Gleeson is about as reliable as it gets when it comes to character actors, but he’s not exactly going to be attempting to steal the show when two heavyweights like Phoenix and Gaga are going at it in a Joker follow-up that’s shaping up to be a bizarre fever dream. Let’s just hope it lives up to expectations.
