Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga are two revered actors who, at various times in their careers, have been the subject of controversy and fan speculation. It’s only fitting, then, that Joker: Folie à Deux be as sensationalized as the actors themselves. Whether it’s Gaga’s official/unofficial hype track (which has now been confirmed with the release of her album Harlequin) or unrevealed details surrounding the film itself, it seems that fans online can’t stop talking about the follow-up to Todd Phillips’ Best Picture-nominated 2019 film. Not that Phillips himself would know, though, as he hasn’t read a word of it.
I spoke with Todd Phillips ahead of the upcoming sequel's release, and when I mentioned the internet chatter, he volunteered this information:
Believe it or not, I don't really do that because you can’t, right? Meaning, there's so much noise in today's day and age of making films. Not just with this, but this one, of course, that you have to figure out a way very early on to be at 30,000ft. Meaning, you'd be above it and not because you're above it, but because you can’t… The chatter will make you crazy.
Todd Phillips
This makes perfect sense, especially when you consider that Todd Phillips had previously mentioned that when all eyes are on your project, it disrupts the creative process. Now that reviews are starting to roll in, with some of them being less than positive, it would be treacherous territory to keep up with all of the opinions and rumors.
Even though the director doesn’t view the film as a sequel, it would only be natural for him to hold it to the standard of Joker and its record-breaking success. That pressure mixed with the constant speculation would be maddening for anyone, which is ironic given Joker’s ability to spark more discussion surrounding the mental health of average folks.
This hasn’t kept Todd Phillips offline completely, though, as he recently took to social media to celebrate Joker: Folie à Deux's premiere at the Venice Film Festival. He has every right to be stoked, as the film is a pretty incredible accomplishment with unique musical pieces and dynamite chemistry between the two leads. Our own Sean O’Connell said that he “can’t stop thinking about it,” which could be a good thing, a bad thing or somewhere in between. Either way, doesn’t that sound like the kind of movie you should see?
Joker: Folie à Deux will be in theaters everywhere on October 4! Will it dominate at the box office like its predecessor? Keep it here at CinemaBlend to find out. If you require a rewatch of Joker in order to get prepared for Folie à Deux you can do so right now with a Max subscription.
