The superhero genre continues to dominate the entertainment industry, but a few franchises stand out for not being apart of a full cinematic universe. Todd Phillips burgeoning Joker franchise is in that category, and the sequel is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies heading to theaters. A new trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux has dropped, and it reveals some of Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix's musical numbers.
What we know about Joker: Folie à Deux is fairly limited, but fans are eager to see what happens after the ending of Joker. Lady Gaga will be playing Harley Quinn in the forthcoming movie, which will break new ground by including musical numbers. And this new trailer offered a deeper look at what Phillips has in store for the follow-up film.
Lady Gaga's casting as Harley Quinn is a big reason why the hype surrounding this new movie is so high. The original Joker (which is streaming with a Max subscription) was a grueling watch, but one that earned Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar for his performance as Arthur Fleck. This time he might have a partner in crime... if we can believe the unreliable narrator of the franchise.
This new Joker 2 trailer reveals that the movie will focus on Arthur Fleck's trial for his crimes in the first movie. There is still a ton of support in Gotham City for The Joker, including from Lady Gaga's Harleen Quinzel. She's clearly enamored by this version of the Clown Prince of Crime, inspiring her to do some crime herself, including looting. They end up meeting in Arkham Asylum, where her fascination with Arthur becomes a shared romantic connection.
It's been teased that Joker: Folie à Deux will be a musical, and we were treated to a few brief singing moments in this new trailer. The first comes about a minute in, where Joaquin Phoenix's title character sings Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life", presumably about Harleen. The next one comes towards the end, where Arthur and Harleen sing Judy Garland's "Get Happy" with each other. That's definitely an appropriate choice given Joker's penchant for laughing, as well as the framing of his trial, as they "get ready for the judgement day."
This is likely just the tip of the musical iceberg, as it looks like there will be plenty of songs throughout Joker 2's runtime. We see Gaga and Phoenix dancing in a variety of locations, including those infamous Joker stairs. I have to wonder just how many songs will be included in the film, and if it makes it any less disturbing to watch than its predecessor. Either way, it certainly looks like the sequel will be a wild ride.
All will be revealed when Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on October 4th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
