Little Monsters stay calm—Lady Gaga is returning to the silver screen for the first time in over two years. The singer and actress, who last appeared in the Oscar-nominated House of Gucci, will take on the role of Harley Quinn in director Todd Phillips’ upcoming musical thriller, Joker: Folie à Deux.
The film is the sequel to Phillips’ 2019 Joker which won Joaquin Phoenix his Best Actor trophy at that year’s Academy Awards. The blockbuster has officially wrapped filming and there’s been a few hints as to what audiences can expect once the film hits theaters. Below, everything to know about Joker: Folie à Deux.
What is the plot of Joker: Folie à Deux?
Plot particulars have been largely kept under wraps, but the film will center on the moment Harley Quinn (Gaga) and Arthur Fleck/The Joker (Phoenix) fall in love at Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum. 2019’s Joker left audiences on a cliffhanger when Fleck escaped prison after being incarcerated for inciting riots, so it’s likely the sequel will pick up on that front.
Insiders close to production told Variety that the film will feature a heavy musical element, calling the project “mostly a jukebox musical.” The soundtrack is rumored to feature at least 15 interpretations of “very well-known” songs—including “That’s Entertainment” from the 1953 musical “The Band Wagon”—as well as at least one original track. The film’s composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, who featured in the original film as well as Tár, is said to “infuse her distinctive, haunting [music] cues.”
Is there a trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux?
There is no official trailer just yet, however, Phillips offered a behind the scenes look via his Instagram in February. The director shared images of Gaga and Phoenix at various points throughout the film, including a photo of them dancing on a rooftop and embracing behind bars.
Photographers also captured the actors on set in the spring of 2023 embodying various aspects of their characters. The movie was filmed between New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey—it even features a scene outside of the Manhattan Criminal Court where disgraced president Donald Trump is dealing with a months-long hush-money trial.
Who is in the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux?
Gaga isn’t the only A-lister joining the all-star Joker: Folie à Deux cast. Like Phoenix, Joker alumni Zazie Beatz, Leigh Gill, and Sharon Washington will all reprise their roles. The cast also includes the likes of Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Steve Coogan, Ken Leung, and Harry Lawtey.
Why is Lady Gaga playing Harley Quinn instead of Margot Robbie?
Before she was Barbie, Margot Robbie embodied Harley Quinn in three films: Suicide Squad (2016), Birds of Prey (2020), and The Suicide Squad (2021). Those three projects are in a different DC “universe” than the Joker series, the latter of which is darker and more serious. Also given that the sequel involves a large musical element, the classically-trained Gaga seems like a natural fit.
“It makes me so happy because I said from the very beginning that all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters—the way Macbeth or Batman always gets passed from great actor to great actor,” Robbie said in 2022. During a more recent interview, Robbie sang Gaga’s praises, telling Variety that “she’s going to crush it. Are you kidding? She’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait to see it.”
Does Joker: Folie à Deux have a release date?
Joker: Folie à Deux is set to be released theatrically in the United States on October 4, 2024.
