In 2019, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker performance was met with critical acclaim, an Oscar, and plenty of division. The DC movie saw Arthur Fleck transform from a downtrodden outsider into a rebellious figure not afraid to show society its true face. Warner Bros. hit a goldmine, and a Joker 2 release date quickly became a reality.
The DCU might be headed in a new direction with Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, but Joker: Folie à Deux is still on the menu. This time around, one of the best DC villains will try his paper-white hand at a musical extravaganza, complete with a new Harley Quinn. So, we’ve slapped on our best clown make-up and are holding court on stage to bring you all the Joker details.
What is the Joker 2 release date?
Joker: Folie à Deux will be released on Friday, October 4, 2024, in cinemas. That’s five years after the first film’s premiere.
Production wrapped on April 5, 2023, a feat that Phillips celebrated by sharing images of Lady Gaga and Phoenix in character. It looks like the film is firmly on track to hit its target date, as cinematographer Lawerence Sher confirmed that the new movie is now in its final post-production stages during an interview with Definition Magazine (via Home of DCU) in October.
“Next year, we’re releasing the new Joker movie, and we’re currently in the final stages of post-production,” Sher explained. “It’s a pretty risky movie and it’s going to be surprising for people. I’m so excited for everyone to see it.”
Who’s in the Joker 2 cast?
Joaquin Phoenix returns as Arthur Fleck/Joker and Lady Gaga joins as Harley Quinn in Joker 2’s cast.
Phoenix is one of the best Joker actors yet, so no surprise he’s back to continue the winning streak. Gaga will be our latest Harley (although, we imagine she’ll be going by Harleen Quinzel when we meet her), while Zazie Beetz will return as Sophie Dumond. Brendan Gleeson has also joined the cast in an undisclosed role along with Catherine Keener and Jacob Lofland.
We got our first look at Gaga in a photo that she shared on X. It shows Joker and Harley in an embrace, and Phoenix’s makeup is smudged, perhaps indicating a little smooch.
Joker 2 cast list:
- Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker
- Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn
- Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond
- Brendan Gleeson
- Catherine Keener
- Jacob Lofland
- Harry Lawtey
- Troy Metcalf
What is Joker 2 about?
Folie à Deux means “a condition in which two closely associated people who are mentally ill share the same delusional beliefs,” so expect Joker 2 to follow Harley and Arthur spiraling together.
The upcoming DC movie reportedly takes place in Arkham Asylum. If you don’t know the Joker and Harley origin story, here’s the jist: Harleen, a trainee psychiatrist, is brought into Arkham to work with patients. She soon ends up across from Joker, whose gravitation pull eventually draws her in. He convinces her to help him break out, and Harleen eventually becomes Harley, his sidekick and often abused love interest.
We think Joker 2 will subvert this origin, at least slightly. From the images, Lady Gaga’s Harley already looks unhinged. And we think it’ll make small changes to the power balance, with Arthur, less of a sociopathic narcissist than some other versions of the Joker.
Harley is one of the best DC characters when given nuance but a tragedy when she’s failed creatively, so we’re hopeful this take on her is in good taste. As previously mentioned, Joker 2 is a musical. In an interview with ComicBook.com, the film’s composer, Hildur Guðnadóttir, shared, “All I can say is there is going to be a lot of music. That’s all I can give away.”
Hmm, music in a musical… quelle surprise. In all seriousness, though, Guðnadóttir’s comment infers that Philips is fully committing to the musical aspect of the film, which is good to know.
Is there a Joker 2 trailer?
You can expect a Joker 2 trailer by mid-2024 since the movie comes out in October of that year.
In the meantime, the first Joker’s 4k Blu-Ray release is a beauty, so if you want to revisit the immense score and gritty cinematography, we highly recommend grabbing it if you have the means to play it. If we’re ranking DC’s best movies based on disc quality, well… Joker is up there.
Where can I watch Joker 2?
You can watch Joker 2 in theatres exclusively on Friday, October 4, 2024. It’ll then likely be a few months before its digital release date.
It will be a big release for Warner Bros. following up a billion-dollar picture, so don’t expect to see it on any of the best streaming services anytime soon.
Warner Bros.’s old deal where its films landed on Max after a 45-day theatrical window is no longer in place, so it’s at the studio’s discretion now when to move a release to paid video on demand and streaming. The general play is a cinema run dependent on the film’s box office legs, a VOD release, followed by a streaming one shortly after.
In better news, you can revisit the majority of the DC movies in order on Max.
And that’s our time, folks. For more colorful fun, here’s our guide to the best superhero movies of all time. Or, our articles explaining The Batman 2 release date, Aquaman 2, The Brave and the Bold release date, and Superman: Legacy.
If that’s not enough, we’ve even explained how this twisted tapestry of tales fits together in our guide to watching all the Batman movies in order.