Every agreeably great director seems to have a distinct style, a personal voice, a kind of film that only they could make right. Do it long enough and online film enthusiasts will add the hallowed suffix “-esque” to the director’s name in a feeble attempt to define what makes their films so good. Until 2019, for Todd Philips this personal style came in the form of slapstick, yet astoundingly successful, road-trip comedies like “The Hangover” and “Due Date.” You don’t expect a director of comedy movies, dare I say a reputed one, to make a film on one of the darkest, most psychologically nuanced characters in the history of pop culture, and do it well. It is safe to say that 2019’s “Joker” was a phenomenon, a dark, depressing, and much too realistic character study of the character’s most messed-up version.
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As Todd Philips returns with his second installment in the series, expectations are high. Although “Joker” was intended to be a standalone film, Warner Bros’ adamance to make it a part of a larger, darker DC series, along with Joaquin Phoenix’s urge to return to his character, soon convinced the director to produce a sequel. “Joker: Folie à Deux” stars Phoenix reprising his role as the Joker and Lady Gaga as his love interest, Harley Quinn. It’s an unlikely pairing to say the least; one is perhaps one of the best method actors of the 21t century and the other is the Queen of Pop. We can’t wait to see what their performances hold in store.
The official synopsis is as follows:
Failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. Upon his release, the two of them embark on a doomed romantic misadventure.
In comparison to its predecessor, “Joker: Folie à Deux” seems to be a lot less darker and a lot less depressing, but with the unpredictable nature of Philips’ recent work, we can’t say for sure. The film is set to release on October 4. You can watch the clip below: