We are only a week away from the theatrical release of Joker: Folie à Deuxthe sequel that will have musical elements and is set in Arkham Asylum.
The sequel features the return of Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker, and the debut of Lady Gaga like Harley Quinn, who in this Joker-verse of the director Todd Phillipsto your incarnation of the popular character is known as Lee Quinzel.
Arthur and Lee meet during their stay at Arkham State Hospital. Arthur melts his hardened facade upon meeting her and together they embark on a musical journey. Music in this context is used to “heal the fractures within us,” as an Arkham music therapist puts it, and it is in that way that it is used by Lee and Arthur.
Phillips was interested in exploring this non-traditional method of exposing the warmth he saw in the character.
In an interview with EW, the director explains:
“What happens when a man who hears music in his head finds love for the first time in his life? Maybe the music you hear in your head starts to come out. Why wouldn't that music come out when you know someone who dedicates their time to it? “His biggest problem in the first film, besides childhood trauma, was a serious lack of love.”
Phillips chose the songs that Phoenix and Gaga sang live on set, with emotional intent:
“It is not strange that [Arthur] know the lyrics to something like 'For Once in My Life'. I don't know if I think this is the first time Frank Sinatra found someone who needed him. But, when Arthur sings it, it is. “It has a different meaning and, in a way, it's more emotional.”
Phillips recalls that Phoenix felt those emotions on set with Gaga, especially during the song-and-dance sequences and live vocals, and the added pressure of the presence of Gaga, a 13-time Grammy Award winner:
The director tells the outlet that Phoenix and Gaga gave each other advice. He to her about acting, and she to him about music:
“He was sick [de nervios] every day. The truth is that they gave each other advice. He gave her acting advice; She's been in movies, but he's Joaquin Phoenix. She gave him advice about music because it is Lady Gaga. It's what movies should be: a giant collaboration.”
Is Joker 2 a musical? Phillips explains his point of view:
“I got a little flack for saying it's not really a musical. I didn't say it because I'm afraid of the term 'musical'. I love musicals and the movie definitely has music. It could even be a musical.
“To clarify, most of the time I've seen a musical, I come out feeling better than when I went in. In this movie, I'm not sure it's the same. I wouldn't want to be misleading and say that you're going to be whistling songs from this movie on the way to your car after seeing it.”
The same media shares three new image glimpses of the sequel, available at the end of this note.
Phillips returns as co-writer and director. He writes the script together with Scott Silverhis coguionist in Joker (2019).
In addition to Phoenix and Gaga, the main cast includes Zazie Beetz reprising her role as Sophie Dumond, with the new additions of Catherine Keener (Get Out, The 40 Year Old Virgin), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges, Harry Potter), Jacob Lofland (Mud), y Harry Lawtey (Industry) como Harvey Dent.
Warner Bros. releases Joker: Folie à Deux in US theaters on October 4, 2024. In Mexican theaters it is released on Wednesday, October 2.
Source: https://cine3.com/joker-folie-a-deux-joaquin-phoenix-enfermo-canciones-en-vivo-lady-gaga/
