Todd Phillips looks like he is moving forward on a sequel to “Joker,” posting photos on Instagram of the apparent cover of a script titled “Joker: Folie a Deux” and, in another shot, a sitting Joaquin Phoenix appearing to read through it.
In 2019, “Joker” became one of the most successful comic-book movies ever, both at the box office and on the awards circuit. After surprising the film world by winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, “Joker” became the first R-rated movie ever to gross $1 billion worldwide and earned 12 Oscar nominations, with Phoenix winning his first Oscar for his performance as struggling comedian Arthur Fleck, aka The Joker.
While Phillips provided no hints about the sequel’s story — or even a caption for his Instagram post — the title “Folie a Deux” may be a clue.
The phrase roughly translates to “shared madness,” which may be a comment on how the Joker tapped into the boiling rage in Gotham City over its growing inequality, leading to the original film’s dramatic climax in which Batman’s future arch nemesis dances on top of a police car as a rioting crowd cheers him on.
Warner Bros. has not announced a production start or release date for a “Joker” sequel, as the studio is continuing its transition process under new CEO David Zaslav.
Reps for Warner Bros. did not respond to requests for additional comment.
