Institutionalized at Arkham State Hospital, Arthur Fleck — the man behind Joker and Gotham’s descent into riots — meets the love of his life in Harley Quinn. Upon release, the two begin a scintillating, violent romance that pulls the city asunder. Join us as we pour through the details of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn, and the revolution it ignites.
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Join us as Joker and Harley Quinn rise from Gotham’s forgotten underbelly and step into the limelight, their twisted romance fueling chaos that disrupts Arthur Fleck’s criminal trial. Grime and glamour combine in a romance that sparks a revolution and brings the city to its knees.
Everything You Should Know Before Seeing Joker: Folie à Deux
“Joker: Folie à Deux,” or simply Joker 2, is a direct sequel to 2019’s “Joker,” directed by Todd Phillips. This film continues the story of Arthur Fleck, marking one of the most recent and acclaimed reimaginings of DC Comics’ infamous Batman villain, the Joker.
The Joker as a character has existed alongside Batman since 1940, when the character was introduced in the comic book “Batman #1.” Batman himself was introduced a year earlier in a separate series, “Detective Comics #27,” which became the namesake for DC.
Since their creation, Batman and the Joker have become iconic figures in American culture and one of the most enduring superhero-and-villain duos. In 1966, the pair appeared on television in the fifth episode of director Don Weis’ “Batman,” with Adam West in the titular role and César Romero playing the villainous clown. The show was so successful that 20th Century Fox greenlit a full-length movie that year featuring the same cast. The show ran until 1968, spanning 120 episodes.
The Joker returned to the silver screen in 1989, played by Jack Nicholson in director Tim Burton’s “Batman.” More recently, the Joker has been brought to life by Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 “The Dark Knight,” a role for which Ledger won a posthumous Academy Award. He’s also been played by Jared Leto in 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” and currently by Joaquin Phoenix in the 2019 and 2024 films, “Joker” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
The character also appears in animated and television adaptations including a LEGO Joker and Cameron Monaghan’s iconic performance of Jeremiah Valeska in the TV show “Gotham,” although Monaghan’s character never fully adopts the Joker persona.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is a direct continuation of “Joker,” and we at StreamSafely encourage you to watch the first film on Max or read our brief synopsis below in order to fully appreciate the latest installment. Please note, however, that “Joker” takes a much darker and more violent tone than original iterations of the character. The movie is rated R for disturbing behavior, brief sexual images, language, and strong bloody violence.
Joker (2019) Synopsis — Spoilers
Unlike many of its predecessors, Todd Phillips’ “Joker” did away with tongue-in-cheek exploits and supernatural elements. Phillips’ first film in the franchise was unique for being both grounded and gritty, examining the origins of the Joker from a real-world standpoint.
The first movie follows Arthur Fleck’s struggle to survive and care for his ailing mother in a crime-ridden neighborhood in Gotham. Desperate to make ends meet, Arthur works as a party clown and fights fruitlessly to get his standup comedy career off the ground. Plagued by layoffs and crumbling social services, Arthur’s mental state deteriorates to a point of extreme hopelessness and rage.
Having been ridiculed, lied to, and abandoned, Arthur turns against the city that forsook him. In the final moments of the film, Arthur’s newfound persona, Joker, incites violent riots against the city’s aristocracy. His actions are implied to cause the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s — aka Batman’s — parents. The film ends with Arthur Fleck institutionalized in Arkham State Hospital; he walks the white halls, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
Todd Phillips
Director Todd Phillips returns to continue the world he created in 2019’s “Joker.” Conventionally known for comedies, Phillips has directed classics like “Old School” (2003) starring Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell, “Starsky & Hutch” (2004) starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, and the Hangover trilogy (2009-2013) starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis.
When turning to drama for “Joker,” Phillips initially received harsh criticism for the dark tones, but his film went on to make more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The movie earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance landed him the Oscar for Best Actor. Today, the movie enjoys a healthy 89% Audience Approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Movie Plot
After murdering talk show host Murray Franklin on live TV, Arthur Fleck is confined to Arkham State Hospital where he meets the enchanting, equally deranged Harley Quinn. As Arthur’s case goes to the courts, Gotham city braces itself for the trial of the century. In the midst of the drama, Joker and Harley seize the spotlight to undercut the courts and stir up violent fervor among their growing legion of followers.
Deeper Analysis
“Joker: Folie à Deux” picks up where “Joker” left off. While institutionalized in Arkham State Hospital, Arthur meets fellow patient, Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. This is a departure from the classic lore of the character. Originally appearing in 1992 in “Batman: The Animated Series,” Harley Quinn, formerly Harleen Quinzel, was instead a psychiatrist who worked with Joker while he was a patient in Arkham Asylum before falling for him romantically. This origin was also seen in Margot Robbie’s portrayal of the character in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.”
Up until now, Robbie was the only person to portray the character on the silver screen. However, Mia Sara portrayed the first live-action version of Harley Quinn in the 2002 TV show “Birds of Prey,” and the character has been brought to life by countless voice actresses across the DC Universe.
In this newest version, Lady Gaga will play Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. The two enter into a fierce romance and build off each other’s mania to disrupt Arthur Fleck’s criminal trial and bring about the downfall of Gotham. This co-entanglement is apparent in the film’s title: The French phrase means “madness for two” and refers to a shared psychosis or shared delusional disorder where symptoms and beliefs are passed between parties in close association.
In the trailer, the two characters meet during a music therapy session. Playing into Lady Gaga’s strength as a pop artist, the film is expected to be a jukebox musical, with several otherworldly song-and-dance moments throughout, likely a visual representation of Joker and Harley’s shared psychosis.
Genre
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is categorized on IMDb as Crime, Drama, Musical, and Thriller. Speaking at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, director Todd Phillips stated that the tone “doesn’t veer too far from the first film.”
Runtime
Joker 2 is reported to have a runtime of 2 hours and 18 minutes.
Rating
“Joker: Folie à Deux,” like “Joker” before it, is slated to be an R-rated film. The “Joker” sequel is expected to include strong violence and language throughout, plus some sexuality and brief full nudity.
Theatrical Release Date
Joker 2 will hit theaters worldwide on October 4, 2024.
Streaming Options
The new addition to the Joker franchise is set to be released exclusively in theaters. After that, “Joker: Folie à Deux,” is likely to join the original film on Max. “Joker” can also be rented on Prime Video.
If you’re looking for the best way to watch other entries in the DCU, be sure to check out StreamSafely’s comprehensive database. We’ve compiled a massive collection of movie and TV titles and can point you toward free and legal options to stream them anytime you want. We’ll also help you understand the reasons to avoid pirated content and how you can protect yourself from malicious sites.
Joker: Folie à Deux Official Trailer
Enter the grim yet glittering world of Joker and Harley as they take center stage in Gotham’s courts, using the spotlight to unleash mayhem on those who dare to oppose them. Watch the trailer here:
Cast & Crew
Joaquin Phoenix returns as the film’s titular antihero following an Oscar win for his original performance. Phoenix is best known for his roles as Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line” (2005) opposite Reese Witherspoon, Commodus in “Gladiator” (2000), and Theodore in “Her” (2013). More recently in 2023, Phoenix captivated audiences as the famous French emperor in Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.”
Lady Gaga will be joining Phoenix as Harley Quinn. Known best as a pop icon, Lady Gaga’s biggest initial break into the world of acting was through her performances on “American Horror Story: Home and Roanoke” (2015-2016). Two years later, Lady Gaga hit the silver screen in Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” (2018) where she played Ally, a role that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The film was produced by none other than Todd Phillips who described her as “magic.” He claims to have repeatedly envisioned Gaga as Harley during the creation of the Joker 2 script.
Check out the list below to check out more cast members:
- Joaquin Phoenix: Arthur Fleck
- Lady Gaga: Harley “Lee” Quinn
- Zazie Beetz: Sophie Dumond
- Catherine Keener: Maryanne Stewart
- Harry Lawtey: Harvey Dent (unconfirmed)
- Brendan Gleeson: Arkham Guard
The crew includes:
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Writers: Scott Silver, Todd Phillips
- Producers: Mark Friedberg, Georgia Kacandes, Jason Ruder, Scott Silver, Michael E. Uslan
- Composers: Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Production Companies: Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios
How To Stream Joker: Folie à Deux
“Joker: Folie à Deux” will be released worldwide exclusively to theaters, but its predecessor, “Joker,” is available to stream now on Max. Be sure to keep an eye out there once the film finishes its theatrical run.
As we await the release of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” it’s important to consider our viewing choices and their broader implications. Remember, the easiest or cheapest choice is not always the safest one. Many illegal platforms pose as legitimate sites, and we at StreamSafely encourage you to consider the ethical ramifications of digital piracy and to always stay vigilant against bad actors.
By choosing legal platforms to watch this film and others, you support the creators and ensure a safer, more enjoyable viewing experience. Let us be your go-to resource for safe and legal ways to stream online content. Have fun, stay safe, and stream responsibly!
