There’s no denying that when the DCEU as a whole lost its vision in terms of what it was trying to be (see: Warner Bros pulling the plug on the Snyderverse and then just doing whatever they thought might work) a lot of bad things happened. By that, we mean a LOT of projects were said to be coming…but didn’t. However, the one bright spot that came from all that confusion was Todd Phillips teaming up with Joaquin Phoenix to deliver their now-classic movie Joker.
This solo film (not tied to the DCEU or any other DC Comics universe of the past) depicted Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a failed comedian with a personality disorder and mental issues in Gotham City as things go from bad to worse. Over time, he slowly realizes who he is and becomes none other than the famed villain The Joker.
The performance by Phoenix was haunting, winning awards at film festivals, the Golden Globes, and the Oscars. It also shocked everyone by making a billion dollars at the box office. So everyone wondered…where’s the sequel?
As later reported, Warner Bros didn’t expect this movie to do well. They slashed the budget for Phillips to just $60 million (making it infinitely profitable later on) and wouldn’t let him enact his plans for more villain films. Now, he’s apparently gotten his greenlight. As the film heads towards a sequel, Joaquin Phoenix is back on board, and the film is apparently going to be called Folie A Deux, a reference to having a mental disorder.
If you recall at the end of Joker, Fleck had completed his transformation, killed his comedy idol, and inspired a riot in Gotham, leading to the Wayne parents getting killed and placing Fleck in a mental institution. So what happens now…? It’s up to Todd Phillips.
Source: Variety