There’s good news for fans waiting for Joaquin Phoenix to play the iconic clown prince of crime in Joker : Folie Deux. Director Todd Phillips has confirmed that filming on the upcoming film has wrapped, and along with the announcement, he also gave fans a glimpse of Phoenix and Lady Gaga in the lead roles.
Joker: Folie Deux, the sequel to 2019’s Joker, has been shooting in New York for several months. Having previously shared behind-the-scenes photos of the Joker 2 scene, we got a new look at Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn and Phillips, putting her front and center in front of the camera. The movie won’t be released until October 2024, giving the crew plenty of time for the production phase.
On Wednesday night, Phillips revealed on social media that filming had officially wrapped. “This is a package. Thanks to these two (+ the entire cast) and the best crew the film industry has to offer,” read the caption. The two people he was referring to were Phoenix and Gaga. “Now it’s about climbing into a cave (editing room) and putting it all together,” he continued, confirming that editing the film is the next step. How long this phase will take, and when fans will get their first glimpse of Gaga playing Quinn, remains to be seen.
Gaga also revealed on Twitter that she had finished filming her set, showing the same image. Other actors have played the role of Quinn in previous films, but Phillips’ vision is quite unique. Gaga has a more rugged look than Margot Robbie’s character in The Suicide Squad or Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. While Robbie’s Quinn is always perfectly made up and sporting her signature braids, Gaga’s character has short, messy blond hair, makeup streaming down her face, and she wears a furry black jacket.
Joker was a box office success and shattered expectations with over $1 billion in worldwide revenue. Phoenix even won an Oscar for his performance as the lead role, leading to increased interest in the upcoming sequel. In Phillips’ post, Phoenix’s image brought the iconic figure back to the forefront, with fans now expecting an even more impressive work than his last.
Joker: Folie Deux is scheduled to premiere in theaters on October 4, 2024.
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