Joaquin Phoenix reprises his Oscar-winning role as the titular deranged villain the Joker opposite Lady Gaga as the queen of chaos Harley Quinn in the first trailer of Joker: Folie A Deux.
The Todd Phillips-directed sequel is a musical fantasia which follows Arthur Fleck – known as the Joker – and Quinn as they fall in love at Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum. The pair are known for their toxic romantic relationship in the comics.
The title of the film, which is set for release on October 4 – exactly five years after the first film, is a French reference to when two intimately related people share elements of the same mental illness, such as delusions.
In the trailer, set against the music What The World Needs Now by Jackie DeShannon, Phoenix is in the Joker’s signature make-up and slicked back hair with a jacket and yellow shirt and is seen taking the stage and performing in a nightclub.
Gaga, who won an Oscar in 2019 for her original song Shallow from A Star Is Born, says to the Joker: “I’m nobody, I haven’t done anything in my life like you have.”
The teaser sees Gaga and Phoenix run through the streets and dance elegantly against a moonlit sky, while the trailer ends with Quinn visiting the Joker in prison.
Gaga’s character is a different version of the antihero played by Margot Robbie in two DC Suicide Squad films and Birds Of Prey.
Robbie reportedly gave her blessing to Gaga in October 2022, as she said she was happy that the role, much like Macbeth or Batman “always gets passed from great actor to great actor”.
The full trailer comes after a 27-second long teaser of footage was released on social media in conjunction with the presentation of the Joker sequel at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
The teaser showed the Joker laughing maniacally while standing alone in a raining prison yard.
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The original Joker film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 2020, with Phoenix picking up the gong for best actor in a leading role and Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir securing a win for music (original score).
In the original, Fleck begins as a comedian chasing fame as he struggles with mental health issues before turning into a crazed madman.
Set in 1981, it acts as an origin story for the Joker, who turns to a life of crime in Gotham City.
Meanwhile in the comics, the villain acts as Batman’s sadistic nemesis who is joined by love interest Quinn in his various crime sprees.
