Jacob Lofland has joined the cast of Todd Philip’s Joker: Folie à Deux, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The young actor will have a significant supporting part as a prisoner at Arkham Asylum who becomes a friend with Arthur Fleck, nicknamed The Joker. Joaquin Phoenix will reprise his role as the title character, and Lady Gaga, winner of many Grammys and an Oscar, will play Harley Quinn. An announcement video released last month showed Joker and Gaga’s figures dancing in shadow against a crimson and black background, solidifying the connection.
The 2019 original didn’t feature any music, but the sequel will. Folie à Deux appears to be a fun time for everyone involved, what with Gaga’s lauded singing abilities and Phoenix’s dances from the first film. Folie à Deux is the medical name for a mental condition that affects two or more persons with the same or similar symptoms, typically members of the same close family, so while we don’t know much about the storyline at the time, we do know that it’s a family problem. For all we know, Gaga’s Quinn and Lofland’s new persona might share Joker’s mental illness. The last scene of “Joker,” which saw Arthur conversing to an unnamed person in Arkham Asylum, left viewers wondering if the events of the film were genuine or only in Arthur’s mind.
The new film, which is partially set in the infamous institution frequented by many of Batman’s villains in the comics and was co-written by Philips and the first film’s co-writer Scott Silver, appears to expand on that uncertainty. Catherine Keener of “Get Out” fame and Brendan Gleeson have both recently been cast in the film in unknown roles. Actress Zazie Beetz, who was nominated for an Emmy for her role as Sophie Dumond in the first film, allegedly plans to reprise the role.
Sophie, a single mother just starting out in the city, has the misfortune of becoming the object of Arthur Fleck’s amorous fantasies. His first film role was in Jeff Nichols’ 2013 indie smash Mud, in which he co-starred with Matthew McConaughey and Tye Sheridan. Along with his work alongside Pierce Brosnan in the Western series The Son (which aired for two seasons on AMC), he portrayed the supporting role of Aris in the Maze Runner films. In November, filming for Joker: Folie à Deux will begin in both Los Angeles and New York. The October 4, 2024 release date was announced by Warner Bros. Discovery.