The sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Joker is one of the most anticipated movies of 2024. Joker: Folie à Deux will reunite Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix with director Todd Phillips, and introduce Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, the iconic DC Comics character and Joker’s love interest. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming film, from the plot and cast to the release date and budget.

Joker 2 Plot

Joker: Folie à Deux is a drama with musical elements set in and around Arkham Asylum, the notorious psychiatric hospital where Joker and other criminals are incarcerated. The film will explore the relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn, who is a psychiatrist at Arkham before she falls in love with him and becomes his accomplice. The film’s title, which means “shared madness” in French, is a reference to a medical term for an identical or similar mental disorder affecting two or more people, usually members of the same family.

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Joker 2 Cast

Joaquin Phoenix will reprise his role as Arthur Fleck / Joker, the mentally ill clown and aspiring stand-up comedian who becomes a violent anarchist and a folk hero. Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the first film, which also earned him a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a SAG Award.

Lady Gaga will play Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn, the psychiatrist who treats Joker at Arkham and falls in love with him. She adopts a clown persona and joins him in his criminal escapades. Gaga is an Oscar-winning singer and actress, who starred in A Star Is Born, which was produced by Todd Phillips. She also won a Golden Globe for her role in American Horror Story: Hotel.

Zazie Beetz will return as Sophie Dumond, a single mother and neighbor of Arthur, who has a brief relationship with him in the first film. Beetz is known for her roles in Deadpool 2, Atlanta, and Invincible.

Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, and Harry Lawtey are the new additions to the cast, but their roles have not been revealed yet. Gleeson is an Irish actor who starred in In Bruges, Harry Potter, and The Guard. Keener is an American actress who was nominated for two Oscars for her roles in Being John Malkovich and Capote. Lofland is a young actor who appeared in Mud, Maze Runner, and Just Mercy. Lawtey is a British actor who starred in Industry, The Letter for the King, and White Lines.

Joker 2 Release Date

Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled to be released on October 4, 2024, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film will be the only DC comic book movie releasing in 2024, and will be branded as a DC Elseworlds title, a term taken from the comics in which alternate-universe stories are told. The film will not be part of the shared DC Universe, which includes films like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and The Suicide Squad.

Joker 2 Budget

According to a report, Joker: Folie à Deux has a budget of $150 million, which is more than double the budget of the first film, which was $55 million. The report also claimed that Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga were paid $50 million and $10 million respectively for their roles, making them the highest-paid actors in the DC franchise. However, these figures have not been confirmed by the studio or the actors.

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Joker 2 First Look

Director Todd Phillips has been sharing photos from the set of the film on his Instagram account, giving fans a glimpse of the characters and the locations. On Valentine’s Day 2024, he posted a photo of Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga dancing and meeting face to face, with the caption: “Hoping your day is full of love.” He also posted a photo of Phoenix in his Joker makeup, announcing the start of filming on December 10, 2023. Lady Gaga’s first look as Harley Quinn was unveiled by The Hollywood Reporter on February 14, 2023, showing her in a red and black outfit and holding a baseball bat.

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