Joker 2: Photos, Cast, Plot, Release Date

More Behind-the-Scenes "Joker Folie à Deux" Photos Seemingly Tease Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn

Mar 27 2023 by Pallavi Bhadu

At long last, we're finally getting more details about the highly anticipated "Joker" sequel, "Joker: Folie à Deux" — starting with behind-the-scenes photos from the movie's set.

On 25 March, photos of Lady Gaga — who was officially announced as part of the Joaquin Phoenix-led cast in August 2022 — filming scenes for the movie in New York City emerged, seemingly confirming her rumoured role as Harley Quinn. In the pictures, the "Poker Face" singer was seen wearing a red jacket over a white-and-black patterned blouse paired with a black skirt — a much more subtle costume than the one Margot Robbie wore during her time playing the character in "Birds of Prey," "Suicide Squad," and "The Suicide Squad," but still true to the DC character's comic-book roots.

It seems "Joker: Folie à Deux" is in the thick of filming, as the scene Gaga was spotted in appears to take place at Manhattan's City Hall with a large crowd. From the looks of the signs carried by some of the extras, people will be calling for the Joker's release after he was seemingly arrested at the end of the first movie. (The film cut to black before an arrest took place, but it appeared imminent.) More photos of Gaga surfaced on March 26, appearing to tease another scene being shot in front of a courthouse.

Specifics about the "Joker" sequel are still scarce, but teasers have been slowly revealed in more recent weeks. On Valentine's Day, Warner Bros. shared a first-look photo of Gaga and Phoenix, who plays the titular Joker, locked in an intense embrace, giving us a small glimpse of their love story.

Lady Gaga's involvement with the movie was first teased in June 2022. Though director Todd Phillips played coy about which role the pop star would take on, it's pretty safe to say she's starring as Harley.

"Joker" made quite a splash when it was released in 2019, drawing in a whopping $1.07 billion at the global box office and earning 12 Oscar nominations, with Phoenix taking home the best actor award and Hildur Gudnadóttir snagging a trophy for best original score.

As a result, anticipation for the sequel is understandably high. Read on for everything we know about the "Joker" sequel so far, from the rest of the cast and the release date to more behind-the-scenes photos of Gaga.

— Additional reporting by Eden Arielle Gordon

Image Source: Getty / Raymond Hall

1. "Joker 2" First-Look Photo

In December 2022, Phillips revealed that "Joker 2" is in production when he shared the first photo from the sequel.

Lady Gaga shared a new first-look photo from the film on Valentine's Day.

2. "Joker 2" Title

In June 2022, writer and director Phillips shared a photo of "Joker 2"'s script cover on Instagram that revealed the official title of the sequel, "Joker: Folie à Deux."

3. What Does Folie à Deux Mean?

Folie à deux is a French term for a rare mental disorder that's also known as shared psychotic disorder. According to the National Library of Medicine, folie à deux occurs when the delusion of one patient who suffers from a psychotic disorder is transmitted in its entirety, or in part, to someone else. The condition usually occurs with people who are in close relationships.

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4. "Joker 2" Cast

Will Joaquin Phoenix Play Joker in "Joker 2"?

The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported on 13 June that Warner Bros. hasn't yet closed the deal with Phoenix to reprise his role as the Joker in the sequel, but he's said to be deep into final negotiations (as Phillips's Instagram teased).

Who Will Play Harley Quinn in "Joker 2"?

It's worth noting that the stand-alone "Joker" exists in a separate universe from other DC feature films, which means the audience will be introduced to a different version of Harley, which has previously been played by Margot Robbie in several live-action projects, including "Suicide Squad" (2016), "Birds of Prey" (2020), and "The Suicide Squad" (2021). Kaley Cuoco has also voiced the popular character in HBO Max's animated series "Harley Quinn," which will return for a third season later this year.

As per a 4 August tweet from Lady Gaga, she's confirmed to appear in "Joker: Folie à Deux," though details about her character are being kept under wraps. Many are speculating that she'll be the next of Hollywood's ever-growing list of actresses to play Harley. This wouldn't be the first collaboration between Phillips and Gaga. Phillips produced the 2018 musical romance "A Star Is Born," which scored Gaga an Oscar for best original song for "Shallow." In the movie, the "Rain on Me" singer starred opposite Bradley Cooper, who also serves as a producer for "Joker."

Who Else Is in the "Joker 2" Cast?

News on the rest of the sequel's cast is still forthcoming.

Image Source: Getty / Emma McIntyre

5. "Joker 2" Plot

The plot details for "Joker 2" are being kept under wraps, and very little is known thus far. However, the teased movie title could offer some insight into the story.

The sequel's title may hint that the Joker will experience this mental disorder alongside his iconic comic-book partner in crime, Harley Quinn. While the first movie delves deep into the psyche of Arthur Fleck and shows his transformation into the violent villain, Joker, the second movie might explore his troubled on-and-off relationship with Harley as they both bring out the worst in each other.

6. "Joker 2" Release Date

The "Joker" sequel will hit cinemas on 4 Oct., 2024.

Image Source: Everett Collection

7. Is "Joker 2" a Musical?

According to recent reports by The Hollywood Reporter, "Joker 2" is indeed set to be a musical! "Joker" as a musical, strange as it may sound, has a lot going for it.

The 2019 "Joker" movie was a massive success, netting Phoenix the best actor award at the Oscars and ultimately becoming the fourth highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. Phillips has also worked with Lady Gaga before, producing 2018's "A Star Is Born" with Gaga and Cooper.

And while Phoenix may not seem like the most likely contender for a lead in a movie musical, he has some previous musical experience. He played Johnny Cash in the 2005 biopic "Walk the Line," doing his own singing and playing the guitar for the film. It's not too hard to imagine the Joker singing gritty, angry country ballads in Cash's trademark style, though how that would mesh with Gaga's stratospheric pop vocal chops remains to be seen.

8. "Joker 2" Trailer

There's no teaser trailer for "Joker 2." However, once filming gets underway, we might get a short clip to hint at what's to come for the franchise's fans.

Image Source: Everett Collection

9. Behind-the-Scenes "Joker 2" Photos

Image Source: Getty / Nancy Rivera/Bauer-Griffin

Image Source: Getty / Noam Galai

Image Source: Getty / Gotham