Joker 2 release date, first look and everything we know so far about Joker: Folie à Deux

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Joker 2 (officially titled Joker: Folie à Deux) is only a few weeks away, where we'll finally see Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as the clown prince of crime alongside pop idol Lady Gaga as his mad love Harley Quinn.

And get this: Rumor has it the highly anticipated sequel will be a "jukebox musical" with up to 15 songs. Though it's worth noting that DC studio head James Gunn has declared the Joker sequel won't be in the DCU, but instead bear the Elseworlds brand.

So, if anyone forgot, it's time to remember that the original Phoenix-led Joker movie did so well at the box office (and with critics), that Warner Bros. Pictures is ready to return to the early days of the clown prince of crime.

The Joker 2 will also get a bit of branding, as DC movies and shows that aren't canon will gain the Elseworlds label. This was announced when James Gunn revealed 10 DCU movies and shows as part of the franchise's reboot.

To recap, Todd Phillips' Joker took in more than $1 billion at the box office, and (unlike a lot of movies spawning from DC intellectual property) got serious raves from critics. Heck, Phoenix even took home the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for the film (which was also nominated for film of the year).

Will Phillips' Joker run afoul of Robert Pattinson's The Batman? What should we expect from this sequel? Let's find out.

Joker 2 release date confirmed

Joker: Folie à Deux is coming out on October 4, 2024, according to Deadline. In April, the Motion Picture Association gave it an R rating for "strong violence" and "brief full nudity." Rumor has it the latest Folie à Deux cut clocks in at 140 minutes, which means you'll be looking at a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

If you'd forgotten that Joker 2 was going to happen, you're not alone. Talk about the film had been simmering in the background for a while, until news of writer/director Todd Phillips signing onto "co-write the next Joker installment" was buried deeply in a The Hollywood Reporter story about the most powerful lawyers in Hollywood. The news cycle picked up again after it was confirmed that not only would the fan-favorite character Harley Quinn appear in the sequel, but she'd be played by Lady Gaga.

The original Joker movie took about two years to complete: script-writing took place in 2017, and the movie premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival in 2019.

Joker 2 first look and trailers

We got our first look at Joker 2 back in February 2023 when Phillips revealed new images from the sequel showcasing the clown prince of crime and his mad love in honor of Valentine's Day.

Then in April 2024, we got our first official teaser trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux. The two-minute-long preview follows Joker and Harley Quinn from what appears to be their first glances at each other to dancing in the rain as their romance blooms and the song "What the World Needs Now Is Love" plays.

On July 23, a new Joker 2 trailer landed that sets the stage for a sequel just as groundbreaking and disturbing as its predecessor. We see Arthur, now committed to a psychiatric hospital after the final scenes of the first film, diving further into insanity and embracing his Joker persona. He and Harley Quinn dance amid violent explosions and sinister music, and it ends with her uttering the haunting message: "Let's give the people what they want."

Joker 2 title

Joker 2 isn't the actual title of the film. Joker: Folie à Deux is the full title of the film, as Todd Philips posted to his Instagram.

The title is a play on words. Folie à Deux (French for "madness for two" or "shared madness") is a rare psychiatric disorder where two people share the same delusional beliefs. And of course since "deux" means two, the title also signals that this is a sequel to Joker.

Joker 2 plot

First things first: know that Joker 2 is supposedly a musical, as The Hollywood Reporter broke that news. Insiders with knowledge of the sequel's production later told Variety that it leans heavily towards being “mostly a jukebox musical,” as it integrates at least 15 reinterpretations of “very well-known” songs. An original song or two could also be included in the final version, though details about who would produce or perform the numbers remain unclear.

Secondly, The Wrap reports that "a lot" of the film is meant to take place inside Arkham Asylum. Which makes the title's reference to "shared madness" make sense. It also matches with the expectation for the other reported star in the film.

While much of the film's plot remains unclear, Harley Quinn's origin story in other media has her as a former psychologist at Arkham who falls in love with her patient, the Joker, and eventually joins him as an accomplice.

Joker 2 cast announcement

Joaquin Phoenix is the only announced returning cast member for Joker 2. On August 4, Lady Gaga joined the Joker 2 cast as Harley Quinn.

Harry Lawtey, breakout star of HBO’s Industry, has also signed on for the project, though his exact role remains unknown. Deadline hinted that he'll be playing a key character from the comics. The actor will be part of an ensemble that includes the previously announced Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and original Joker cast member Zazie Beetz.

Then, let's also do a bit of recap for who can't come back — per the deaths in Joker. Of course, Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) isn't going to be in Joker 2, after he was shot in the head, live on air. Arthur's mother Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy) isn't coming back either, as he suffocated her with a pillow.

And, of course, don't expect to see Martha or Thomas Wayne (at least outside of a flashback), as Joe Chill shot them both.

But what about the Waynes' son? We hear he's got a new movie coming out, too.

Joker 2 Batman rumors

While there is a lot of desire for Batman to be in Joker 2, don't expect it. Such an appearance would require a time-jump forward of at least a decade, if not longer. And we're guessing Joker 2 will focus on the evolution of Mr. J, and not jump straight to the fully-formed Joker (the likely subject of a hypothetical Joker 3, which seems inevitable).

As for what could happen with an eventual Batman appearance, we're not seeing any reason to expect Robert Pattinson in the Joker 2, Joker 3 or any forthcoming movie. Pattinson said to Yahoo that "It’s kind of a different world."

So, that means Joker will likely get his own version of Batman and Bruce Wayne.