Fans are expecting double trouble from the Joker sequel after director Todd Phillips announced he is working on a sequel, and revealed the working title of the movie.
Phillips made the big reveal on his Instagram account by sharing the front page of the script for the follow up, and a picture of Joaquin Phoenix reading it.
Phillips was nominated for multiple Oscars for writing, producing and directing 2019's Joker while Phoenix won the Best Actor prize for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck.
The working title for the follow up appears to be Joker: Folie à Deux, which is a French expression. When translated, this small phrase may reveal a lot about the storyline of the sequel.
Phillips set the internet alight with his unexpected announcement, as thousands of people commented and shared his Instagram post. Across social media, fans were quick to speculate what the title may mean for the story.
Translated into English, "folie à deux" means "shared madness" or "madness for two." Google's definition reads, "delusion or mental illness shared by two people in close association."
Within hours, fan theories filled comment threads and message boards across the internet. One of the most popular theories was posted by self proclaimed "film fan" @morenol_1990 on Twitter.
Reflecting on the shared madness theme, he speculated, "Multiple Jokers? Harley Quinn? Or perhaps people looking up to him?"
The introduction of Harley Quinn was a popular idea on Reddit too, with thousands of fans discussing the unexpected news.
Quinn has previously been played onscreen by Margot Robbie in the DC Extended Universe while Kaley Cuoco voices her in her own animated series, called Harley Quinn. Both are unlikely to appear in Phillips' movie as the original Joker was separate from the rest of the DC Comics movie and TV franchise.
During Willem Dafoe's recent press tour as he returned as the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home, he discussed the idea that he could play the Joker in a movie.
He even addressed the topic during his SNL monologue. This idea was discussed among fans in relation to Joker: Folie à Deux.
"What if Willem Dafoe gets to be the other Joker?" posed @Red_Hood_23. Extending this idea, @EthelTheCutie said, "My favorite idea I read was the concept of Willem Dafoe also playing the Joker with both claiming to be the original and it being unclear what the truth is as all we see is distorted by their psyches."
While the ideas of other "mad" characters like Harley Quinn, alternative jokers and other villains were banded around, some suggested that the title could be a "clever misdirect" and instead be a reference to the Joker's eponymous foe: Batman.
"Instead of referring to another rendition of Harley Quinn or some type of accomplice(s), it instead becomes a foreboding metaphor for a young Bruce Wayne becoming Batman," wrote @Macabre_Noir on Reddit. The theory was shared by some across other social media platforms too.
Phillips Instagram post seemingly confirmed the news that there will be a Joker 2, but currently there has been no official confirmation from DC or Warner Bros. Pictures. Phoenix was seen reading the script in Phillip's post but he has also not been confirmed to return either, but it seems inevitable that he will.
Both Phillips and Scott Silver (8 Mile, The Fighter) collaborated on the script for the first Joker, and the pair are credited as co-writers for Joker: Folie à Deux.
Newsweek has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment on the launch of Joker: Folie à Deux.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Jamie Burton is a Newsweek Senior TV and Film Reporter (Interviews) based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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