Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn join forces in new trailer for ‘Joker 2’

Warner Bros. offered glimpse of its eagerly anticipated sequel to 2019 thriller at CinemaCon on Tuesday

Warner Bros. left CinemaCon attendees buzzing with anticipation on Tuesday, as it offered a sneak peek into the much-awaited Joker: Folie A Deux, a sequel to the polarising and groundbreaking 2019 film that snagged an Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix’s haunting portrayal of the titular character. This presentation was part of Warner’s broader strategy, unveiled in Las Vegas, to capitalise on the monumental success of last year’s sensation, Barbie, which raked in $1.45 billion globally.

Amidst an array of announcements that included a tease of the eagerly awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Robert Pattinson spotlighting a new Bong Joon-ho sci-fi spectacle, Joker: Folie A Deux stood out, promising a continuation of Todd Phillips’ daring reinterpretation of the comic book villain’s lore. Adding a layer of intrigue, the sequel, slated for an October release, introduces pop megastar Lady Gaga into its narrative, turning the film into a musical spectacle.

Phillips, in his introduction of the film’s trailer, emphasised music’s pivotal role, hinting at a continuity of the first film’s thematic essence, where Arthur Fleck’s complex persona is intricately tied to his musical expressions. “Arthur is weird and aloof and distant, all these things, but he has music in him,” Phillips noted, suggesting a smooth integration of the musical elements into the sequel’s fabric.

The trailer itself offered tantalising glimpses of Phoenix’s Joker and Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn in a series of mesmerising, dreamlike sequences - from an ominous meeting in an asylum to a romantic dance on a moonlit Gotham rooftop, culminating in an elaborate stage performance. Through these visuals, Phillips teased an evolution in the Joker’s journey, underscored by the line, “I’m not alone anymore,” hinting at a deepening of the narrative through Harley Quinn’s introduction.

Phillips also used the occasion to express his gratitude towards theater owners for their support amidst the controversy surrounding the first Joker film, which, despite fears of inciting violence, went on to gross over $1 billion worldwide.

CinemaCon, serving as a crucial platform for Hollywood studios to showcase their upcoming projects to global theater owners, took place against the backdrop of an industry grappling with the aftermath of extensive strikes and the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic and the rise of streaming services. Warner Bros., under the conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery, faces its own set of challenges, navigating through financial turbulences and industry transformations.

The studio’s slate also featured high-profile projects like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap and Kevin Costner’s ambitious Horizon Western saga, alongside the return of Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, marking his first project since the Oscar-winning Parasite.

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