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Joker 2’s Tonal Twist Can Pull Off A Superhero Movie First
Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to Todd Phillips's hit 2019 film starring Joaquin Phoenix, has the unique opportunity to set itself apart from other comic book movies with its unique tone and premise. While Joker originally presented itself as a standalone film unconnected to any other DC projects, the film's immense financial success made a sequel inevitable, with the upcoming film set for a late 2024 release date. Reactions to a Joker sequel have been decidedly mixed, but what little the filmmakers have revealed about Folie à Deux suggests that the movie may still find a way to surprise audiences with a completely unique film.
Joker 2 is including more Batman characters than its predecessor, with the sequel's announcement accompanied by the confirmation that Lady Gaga would be portraying Joker's sidekick and love interest, Harley Quinn, after months of speculation that she had been cast in the role. Folie à Deux has also been described by its creative team as a musical, exploring the deranged minds of its two core characters. While these strange details regarding the upcoming film have been met with confusion, the sheer audacity of Folie à Deux's unusual premise proves that it can be different from the original film in all the best ways.
Joker 2 Can Be A Satire About Superhero Satires
Joker 2's tonal shift means that the sequel can become a satire about superhero satires. With so many superhero movies releasing in 2023 and beyond, the genre has become incredibly overstuffed. As a result, recent years have seen a rash of films and series developed in order to satirize other superhero projects, including comedies like Deadpool and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Other darker satires like The Boys and Invincible have even found great success in their warped take on the superhero genre. However, the success of these projects has made even superhero satire cliche, giving Folie à Deux a unique opportunity to add another layer of parody to the genre.
As a satire of superhero satire, Joker: Folie à Deux can be just as strange and irreverent as its predecessor without treading new ground. The sequel may be different from Joker, but that doesn't mean that it won't include an important commentary on the state of the superhero genre, told in the lighter-hearted tone of a musical. While many viewers may lament the loss of the original film's gritty realism, Folie à Deux's lighter tone will also feel far fresher than a rehashing of the uncomfortable grittiness of its predecessor, which has been endlessly duplicated in countless superhero films and series for over a decade to varying degrees of success.
Joker 2 Being So Different Makes The Franchise Even Better
Joker: Folie à Deux needs to be different from the 2019 film in order to develop a functioning franchise. In order to exist, the sequel must spoil Joker's open-ended conclusion, revealing whether or not the entire film really took place in Arthur Fleck's head. By nature of its very existence, Joker 2 challenges the legacy of its predecessor and should therefore continue to push the envelope as much as possible. The film franchise built around the Joker should absolutely be just as unpredictable as the character himself, keeping the audience on its toes as they attempt to navigate the supervillain's indecipherable thought process.
Furthermore, the inclusion of Harley Quinn not only expands the franchise in an exciting way but also necessitates that the sequel undergoes a tonal shift. The very title Folie à Deux suggests that Quinn will play a major role in the film and may even be the prime perspective from which the story is told. Gaga's character has always been lighter in tone than the Joker himself, viewing her partner-in-crime as a personal idol. The sequel's assertion that Harley Quinn is just as important to its story as the Joker himself indicates that Joker: Folie à Deux has a chance at crafting a meaningful franchise centering around the iconic characters.
