Somebody call 911, because Joker director Todd Phillips and Lady Gaga have shared the first look at Joker: Folie à Deux, a musical sequel to 2019’s Joker. Phillips and Gaga both posted the same photo on Instagram on Feb. 14, as a Valentine’s Day treat.
The photo shows Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel (later Harley Quinn) embracing Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck (aka Joker), who is once again in his clown makeup. The background is pretty hard to make out. But from the looks of it, it’s some kind of cell. Could this scene be taking place in Arkham State Hospital? And is it just me, or does it look like Harley is mid-song? (I hope she’s singing one of Gaga’s many bangers, but I sadly doubt that’s the case.)
Phillips captioned the photo “Happy Valentine’s Day,” pointing to the couple’s twisted romance, while Gaga went with “Folie à Deux” for her own caption. Not only is Folie à Deux the title of the film, but also it translates to “shared madness” or “folly for two.” The French expression refers to a mental illness shared between two people who are close to one another.
The only other photo we have from Joker: Folie à Deux is one Phillips shared from the first day of filming on Dec. 10, 2022. It shows an emaciated Arthur getting shaved, something that may well point to him being in Arkham. There, he’ll likely meet Dr. Quinzel — and with any luck, things will get musical fast.
Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 4, 2024.
