"Joker: Folie à Deux" - The first, insane teaser trailer is here!

Luca Fontana

10.4.2024

Translation: machine translated

In the first teaser trailer, we finally get a first look at the sequel to the award-winning psychological drama "Joker". It stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga as a musical duo addicted to madness.

What the world needs now is love - sweet love. Jackie DeShannon sang the song for the first time in 1965. In the first "Joker: Folie à Deux" teaser, its bittersweet melodies give us a taste of what the sequel to the brilliant 2019 psychological drama will be:

A musical. Start date: 4 October 2024.

Yes, the sequel will really be a musical

"We use music to make us whole. To balance the fractures within ourselves," says a man off-screen in the teaser trailer. Presumably a carer. Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is in a mental institution, Arkham Asylum, serving time for the murder of famous late-night comedian Murray Franklin - Robert DeNiro. Arthur once referred to him as the surrogate spiritual father he never had. But when Murray makes fun of Arthur in public, the clown goes crazy - live on television.

Since then, Arthur has not only been imprisoned. He is even placed under increased surveillance. Guards with rifles guard his cell. Accompany him everywhere. Even outside, in the pouring rain, without ever letting him interact with other inmates. A bleak life - at least at first. Hope begins to emerge when Arthur crosses paths with Harleen Quinzel, a fellow inmate played by Lady Gaga.

How is not clear. But the teaser suggests that Arthur will be allowed to make contact with other people at some point. In the process, Arthur and Harleen develop a close relationship. One in which music plays an important role: the mental escape from the depressing reality of the asylum. They dance across the neon-lit rooftops of Gotham, perform in nightclubs and host TV shows together. Unless, of course, it's not all just in their heads?

The teaser trailer doesn't give a clear answer. The only thing that is clear is that "Joker: Folie à Deux" will actually be a musical, covering over 15 songs. Perhaps even garnished with a few original songs written especially for the film. Possibly by Lady Gaga herself. Pretty sure, in fact.

Director Todd Phillips once again goes his own way

The fact that "Joker: Folie à Deux" becomes a musical is surprising. At the very least, it's not the most obvious genre that would spring to mind as a sequel to the psychological drama "Joker". But director Todd Phillips already proved in the first instalment that he is only loosely following the template from the DC comics.

"Joker", for example, is not a superhero film. Nor is it a film about the origins of Batman's arch-enemy. Rather, it is a courageous social critique that dares to humanise assassins and mass murderers - even if they are only fictional - without absolving them of their responsibility. Without Batman and capes. Lead actor Joaquin Phoenix even won an Oscar for his performance.

In which direction "Joker: Folie à Deux" will go is difficult to gauge. But at least Phillips seems to know exactly what he's doing with the genre. His musical will have nothing to do with upbeat songs and dance interludes - but rather with madness. I wouldn't be surprised if "Joker: Folie à Deux" ends up being even more successful than its predecessor - the world's most financially successful R-rated film with over a billion dollars in box office takings.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more