The Venice Film Festival is in full swing, with creatives coming from all over the world to showcase their movies in the Italian water locked city. Todd Phillips' Joker: Folie À Deux was one of the buzzy features that was screened in the past week, and it was a star-studded premiere. Both Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga showed up to the event to support the project along with the director. The filmmaker posted photos and a fun message from the festival on social media on social media as the press tour kicks off, and it's such a mood.
In his recent Instagram post, Todd Phillips showcased some highlights from the weekend in Venice. He shared photos of himself alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, who both had some big fashion moments throughout the weekend. The Venetian setting is one of the world’s most beautiful, somewhat contrasting the dark content of the latest Joker film. The trio looked fabulous together, cementing themselves as the effortlessly cool kids of the film festival. You can see the stars at the event below:
That's certainly a sweet way to debut your movie and kick off what's sure to be a massive press tour. And, seriously, the black-and-white motif totally works for me. In the caption for his social media post, the Hangover helmer thanked the festival organizers for such a wonderful weekend. He also referenced the fact that this was the second time his DC crew had been at the event, as 2019’s Joker also premiered in Venice. In his own words, the filmmaker said:
Just got back. Had the best time at the [Venice Film Festival] 🇮🇹 Thank you for having us (again)! Whirlwind week for sure, but we’re just getting started. [Joker: Folie à Deux] is everywhere on Oct. 4.
The film is already garnering buzz. However, reactions to the film out of Venice were admittedly polarizing. Our very own Eric Eisenberg reviewed Joker: Folie À Deux and, while he praised the chemistry and performances by Phoenix and Lady Gaga, he had problems with the pacing and tone of the film. He isn’t alone in his assessment as, in general, critics are mixed on Todd Phillips' film. However, the movie did still receive an 11-minute standing ovation in Venice.
Even if reviews so far are mixed, the franchise's first entry also had many naysayers and was considered controversial. Joker scored a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, and Joaquin Phoenix won Best Actor for his performance. So Folie À Deux still may resonate with audiences and fans of the first film. We'll have to wait and see how the general public receives the movie but, right now, it seems obvious that Todd Phillips and co. are ready to soak in the buzz! Also, here's hoping he drops more black-and-white pics.
You can check out Joker: Folie À Deux when it hits theaters nationwide on October 4th amid the 2024 movie schedule. Fans can also revisit Joaquin Phoenix’s Academy Award winning performance in the first film, which is currently streamable for Max subscription holders.
