“I’m definitely not watching Joker 2.”
Is what I’ll say to myself over and again… until the movie drops and I head to the nearest cinema to see it. You got me Hollywood. Once again, I will be among the people shelling out their hard-earned dollars to see a new take on a comic book character at the expense of a (completely) original story. Don’t get me wrong, Joker was awesome, but why would Todd Phillips want to ruin its legacy? Hasn’t he learned anything from the second and third installments of the hangover? Didn’t the first one end perfectly?
Well, the fact that it grossed over a billion dollars at the box office is probably a pretty good motivator for Warner Brothers and Phillips to continue the saga. Reports over the weekend that Phillps has signed on to write (presumably with Joker co-writer Scott Silver) a sequel haven’t been officially confirmed yet, but speculation started after his lawyer Warren Dern let it slip in a Hollywood Reporter piece.
As you’d expect with just about any DC or Marvel-related news, Twitter has erupted with many DC fans echoing the sentiments above:
Todd Phillips has reportedly signed on to co-write ‘Joker 2’ 🃏
(via @THR) pic.twitter.com/qmch0tOPQ9
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) May 27, 2021
Me tweeting we don’t need a Joker 2 movie knowing full well I’ll go see it. pic.twitter.com/1AdDUbZD2j
— BroadStBoss (@BroadStBoss) May 27, 2021
We really don’t need a Joker 2 movie especially when there’s so many other batman villains who can hold their own movie like Scarecrow? Mr Freeze? Clayface? Killer croc? Etc? Give another character a shot
— sabrina 🦇 ❓0❓❓ (@nightwaynes) May 27, 2021
Twitter users: We don't need Joker 2
Those same Twitter users rushing to watch it on day 1: pic.twitter.com/eNofYueyHI
— NickMan (@NickMansReturn) May 27, 2021
Whether or not Joaquin Phoenix will return to the role, which netted him the Oscar for Best Actor, is still a mystery. Though, in between singing Phillips’ praise, back in a 2019 interview with Peter Travers he said, “It seemed endless, the possibilities of where we could go with the character.”
It’s unlikely that Arthur Fleck will be facing Bruce Wayne in the sequel – the Bruce we met in Joker being only around 10 years old, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be up to taking on a deranged psychopath just yet. That said, it does leave the door open to explore the origin of other DC villains, minus the Penguin who will be played by Colin Farrell in Robert Pattinson’s version of Batman, due out this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90j19Cl8QCk
Having ended Joker with Arthur locked up in Arkham Asylum, we can assume that the sequel will involve some sort of escape from our hero/villain, though it’s hard to imagine him plotting such an elaborate scheme. Phillips’ Joker seems more impulsive and emotional than Heath Ledger’s maniacally cunning version of the character, and less switched-on than Jared Leto’s version. Maybe a further delving into the character will reveal some deeper motivations and skills (other than shooting talk show hosts).
Who knows? All I can say is that I’m wholeheartedly reserving the right to complain about Joker 2 and unnecessary sequels in general.
