The first trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux was released on Tuesday by Warner Bros. It will be the follow-up to the 2019 Box Office hit Joker.
The sequel sees Joaquin Phoenix return as Arthur Fleck. Fleck is the titular character trying to make it as a comedian but soon morphs into someone more sinister. Folie à Deux will also feature Lady Gaga, who plays Dr Harleen Quinzel, better known as Harley Quinn. Quinn is a psychiatrist from Arkham Asylum whose job it is to treat Fleck, who eventually becomes his lover and partner in crime.
Other supporting cast members include Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Steve Coogan, and Catherine Keener. Todd Phillips will also be the director for the sequel, he previously directed Joker.
What does the trailer tell us about the film?
The recently released trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux shows Fleck after the end of the first film. It delves into Fleck’s current life, with him an inmate in Arkham Asylum. The Asylum is not his home for the whole film, however, with later scenes of him parading through the streets.
Harley Quinn’s character is also heavily featured. Quinn is now an inmate in Arkham Asylum, which is a reference to how Fleck and Quinn met there.
Another aspect of the trailer is how it shows the development of Fleck and Quinn’s relationship. The couple dance across Arkham rooftops, as well as tap into their well-documented criminal tendencies.
Will Joker: Folie à Deux be a musical?
With the Joker: Folie à Deux trailer being released, it confirms speculation that it will differ in some ways from Joker. The sequel will be a musical that will include 15 different numbers, many of which are covers of classic songs.
One of the most notable classic songs that will be covered is That’s Entertainment from the 1953 musical Band Wagon. The trailer also features the hit song What the World Needs Now Is Love.
What did Todd Phillips have to say about the Joker trailer being released?
Director Todd Phillips took to the stage at CinemaCon, where the film trailer was being premiered. He said he had hoped to come earlier to thank those who attended for their Joker support, but Coronavirus stopped CinemaCon 2020 from going ahead.
Phillips went on to say: “When we were making the first movie, Joaquin and I always talked about making a sequel really because we were having a great time, but we were never really serious.”
“Then, when Joker became a huge success, we talked about it during the pandemic and decided to do it, and we had a blast doing it,” he added.
Phillips also spoke about the musical element of Folie à Deux at CinemaCon, mentioning,
“We never really talked about it like that, but I like to say it’s a film where music is an essential element. To me, that doesn’t veer too far from the first film.”
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He remarked on the connection between music and Fleck, articulating: “The first ways I described Arthur were as weird and aloof and distant, but he has music in him; he has a grace to him. That informed him a lot in the first film. It didn’t seem like that big of a step what we did here.”
You can watch the newly released trailer below for Joker: Folie à Deux. The film will come to theatres on 4 October.
