Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga Fall in Twisted Love

The Clown Prince of Crime and Harley Quinn need you to know that what the world wants now could be… love.

That’s the message of the primary trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which sees Joaquin Phoenix reprise his Oscar-winning position as Arthur Fleck (who later turns into Batman’s infamous foe) and conspire with Woman Gaga because the equally twisted Harley Quinn.

The darkish and gritty footage begins at Arkham Asylum — the place Joker is locked up on the finish of the primary movie — as Arthur Fleck has a deranged “meet cute” with one other affected person (you guessed it, Gaga’s Harley Quinn). After the possibility encounter within the halls of jail, they fall madly, deeply in love and plan to interrupt out of their straight jackets to tackle the world past their padded cells. It brings them to the streets of Gotham, the place they manically dance and twirl across the metropolis.

“I’m no person. I haven’t completed something with my life like you’ve,” Harley Quinn tells Joker as she mimes capturing herself within the head.

The primary movie served as a moody origin story for the Joker, a reclusive, struggling humorist and part-time clown. Within the sequel, he takes his act on the street and performs on every kind of levels with Harley Quinn as his demented muse — and she or he’s sporting his signature make-up. On this cinematic journey, although, he doesn’t appear so lonely.

“I’ll inform you what’s modified,” Joker says within the trailer. “I’m not alone anymore — that’s what we ought to be speaking about!”

The trailer ends with Harley at Arkham Asylum as she attracts a cheerful face with crimson lipstick on the glass partition between her and Joker. “I wish to see the actual you,” she tells him.

Director Todd Phillips debuted the footage at CinemaCon, the annual conference for movie show homeowners. Though the unique 2019 “Joker” was billed as a “one-off,” Phillips mentioned he and Phoenix all the time talked about making a sequel.

“We beloved the character of Arthur an excessive amount of, however we didn’t wish to jinx the [original] film,” Phillips mentioned. “We solid Gaga as a result of she’s magic.”

Little is thought in regards to the precise plot of the sequel, which is reportedly a jukebox musical. Phillips mentioned that categorization isn’t totally correct, although it would function loads of tune and dance numbers.

“I wish to say it’s a film the place music is a vital ingredient,” says Phillips. “It doesn’t veer too removed from the primary movie. Arthur has music in him. He has a grace to him.”

Earlier than introducing the trailer, Phillips thanked the room of theater homeowners for taking part in “Joker” on the massive display regardless of experiences that the grotesque, blood-soaked movie would encourage violence.

“A few month earlier than the primary ‘Joker’ got here out, the narrative on the movie actually turned and there [were] these weird warnings in regards to the film,” he mentioned. “It was wonderful that exhibitors didn’t budge an inch, and when the film got here out, it did big enterprise. That perspective was an enormous purpose for our success.”

As Phillips alluded, “Joker” grew to become a large blockbuster with $1 billion on the world field workplace. It grew to become the primary R-rated movie to move the billion-dollar mark and earned 11 Oscar nominations, together with greatest image.

“Joker 2” will debut on the massive display on Oct. 4, 2024 — precisely 5 years after the primary movie. The unique price $62.5 million to provide, an unusually conservative finances for a comic book ebook adaptation. Given its runaway monetary success, the follow-up was granted a a lot extra substantial $200 million price ticket.

Footage of “Joker” debuted as a part of Warner Bros.’ presentation to exhibitors. The studio additionally has “Beetlejuice 2,” “Horizon: An American Saga” and “Mad Max” prequel “Furiosa” on its 2024 slate.