Lady Gaga and Joker. Photo: Collected-
Metropolis Desk-
Joker: Folie a Deux director Todd Phillips has shared a new still from the upcoming comic book movie. On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, the filmmaker revealed Lady Gaga’s first look as the character Harley Quinn, alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s titular Joker. Sharing the photo on Instagram, he wrote in his caption, “Happy Valentines Day.” The comments section was filled with excitement as one person wrote, “Love is in the air.” Another commented, “We’re all hyperventilating! Where is my inhaler?” A third fan commented, “My heart is about to drop.”
The same image was also shared by Lady Gaga on her social media. The character Harley Quinn had earlier been played in live-action by Margot Robbie in Birds of Prey and Suicide Squad. While other details about the film are under wraps, we do know that the movie is a musical of sorts, and is officially a sequel of the hit 2019 release Joker, which won Phoenix his first Best Actor Oscar.
Joker, which released a few years ago, was directed by Todd Phillips as well, and also featured Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Frances Conroy, among others. The feature, written by Phillips and Scott Silver, ended up becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, with over $1 billion worldwide. It also picked up several prestigious awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. It scored 11 Oscar nominations, winning two. However, it should be noted that despite the critical and commercial success, the film did have its share of detractors, who thought it represented mental health illness and those who suffer from it in a negative light.
The sequel is slated for an October 9, 2024 release date. Apart from Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker 2 is also said to star Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Jacob Lofland.
