The highly successful Joker from 2019 will be getting a sequel, and Joaquin Phoenix will be returning as the clown prince of Gotham in Joker 2, but it will cost Warner Bros. $20 million, as reported by Variety. Phoenix was paid $4.5 million for the original movie, and then the movie went on to make over $1 billion, and not only that, but Phoenix also received an Oscar for his immaculate performance. Joker was a success by every metric, and a sequel should not be a surprise at all.
Joker 2 has not even begun filming as of yet, and nothing is known about the plot or setting, but everyone has already boarded the hype train. Only last month, Todd Philips shared a photo of Phoenix reading a script called “Joker: Folie à deux.” This hints that Arthur Fleck might be accompanied by another equally insane individual, probably Harley Quinn.
As for who will be playing Harley, it is still uncertain, but there have been talks of Lady Gaga playing the role of the psychotic psychiatrist. Although not confirmed, in June, Gaga was in early talks for playing Harley Quinn, and according to some reports, they are deep into negotiations.
Joaquin Phoenix Joker is separate from Barry Keoghan’s Joker, which appeared at the end of The Batman. If the rumors are true, Gaga’s version of Harley will also be unrelated to Margot Robbie’s portrayal. For better or for worse, Robert Pattinson’s Batman will not be facing off against Phoenix’s Joker anytime soon.
Like the original Joker, the upcoming Joker is also being written and directed by Todd Phillips; considering his outstanding work on the first, the sequel is in safe hands. Phoenix’s unforgettable performance from the original sets a very high bar for the sequel, and if there is anyone who can top that, it has to be Phoenix himself.