Lady Gaga On Upcoming Joker Sequel: 'There's Music, Dance, Courtroom Drama And Comedy'

Lady Gaga has shared her thoughts on the bold new direction taken by director Todd Phillips in the highly anticipated sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. Gaga, 38, will be starring alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the film as Harleen Quinzel, a unique interpretation of the iconic villain Harley Quinn. Meanwhile, actor Joaquin Phoenix, 49, is going to reprise his role as Arthur Fleck, better known as the Joker. In a recent interview, Gaga expressed her admiration for Todd Phillips, saying, “He took a very big swing with this whole concept and with the script, giving the sequel to Joker this audacity and complexity.” She elaborated on the film’s nature, mentioning that it encompasses “music, dance, drama, courtroom drama, comedy, happiness, and sadness.”

While in conversation with Variety, Gaga also said that Phillips’ approach to the sequel reflects his creative vision, favouring originality over a conventional love story narrative.

Further insights into the film were provided by Phillips himself, who discussed its musical elements. The film will feature Phoenix and Gaga performing various song-and-dance routines to classic tracks like Get Happy, For Once in My Life, and That’s Life. However, he clarified that he wouldn’t categorise the movie as a musical in the traditional sense. “Most of the music in the movie is really just dialogue,” Phillips explained. “It’s just Arthur not having the words to say what he wants to say, so he sings them instead.” he added.

Phillips also emphasised that the film’s musical scenes are far from a typical musical. “I just don’t want people to think that it’s like In the Heights, where the lady in the bodega starts to sing, and they take it out onto the street, and the police are dancing. No disrespect, because I loved In the Heights,” he said.

The original Joker film, released in 2019, followed the descent of Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian and clown, into madness. The character’s transformation into the Joker was driven by social and romantic rejection, eventually leading him to become a cult anti-hero. Phoenix’s portrayal earned him an Oscar and the film became the most profitable R-rated film at the time.

However, that record has since reportedly been surpassed by this year’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

Fans can expect Joker: Folie à Deux to hit theatres on October 4, 2024, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the original film’s release.