When you combine Discovery+ with Warner Bros., it looks like Joker: Folie à Deux is the only game in town. The sequel to the Joker picture, which made $1.07 billion worldwide, remains a top priority for Warner Bros., and the recent merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery provides us with a glimpse into the film’s overall direction. According to a recent report by Variety, a source “stresses” that the movie is more similar to A Star Is Born than In The Heights. The article also included the film’s budget, which included $10 million for Lady Gaga (who would play Harley Quinn) and $20 million for director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix.
The production budget for the sequel is now estimated at over $150 million. The first picture seems to be a criticism of mental health, with Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a clown and “comedian” who becomes a parody. Although the film was not based on Gotham City or the Joker, fans nevertheless recognised familiar faces like Thomas Wayne and a young Bruce, as well as the predictable outcome of the Wayne family’s demise. It’s interesting to see A Star Is Born and In the Heights used as analogies.
They were both produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, so perhaps they were just trying to promote their own musicals. However, you should still give this option some thought. It suggests that like in A Star Is Born, the music of Joker: Folie à Deux will be incorporated into the narrative as a diagetic performance. Another insider has said that the film’s budget would increase due to its “complex musical moments,” therefore the two may end up coming together. Casting Gaga as Harley Quinn suggests there should be some sort of musical element. Even though she has a lot of acting chops, Lady Gaga is more known for her music. Putting them together again in the style of A Star Is Born has piqued my interest in the picture to a degree it hadn’t reached before the announcements.
There are still many questions that need answering regarding Joker: Folie à Deux and the musical theatre kid in me wants to know what A Star Is Born versus In The Heights truly means, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.