‘Folie à Deux‘ is a French word meaning ‘Folly of Two.’ It is a rare psychiatric syndrome of induced delusional disorder, which involves shared psychosis from one person to the other. 

As the film’s title, we can ascertain its nature of documenting the spiraling state of both the characters of Joker and Harley Quinn. 

To understand how this film might proceed, we also need to be familiar with the context in which it is based and adapted. 

Harley Quinn was not originally a comic book character like her adapted counterpart, The Joker. Still, it was first introduced in the 22nd episode of Batman’s The Animated Series, “Joker’s Favor,” in which she appears as the Clown Prince’s partner in crime and love interest. From the series, we learn she was once ‘Harleen Frances Quinzel’, an intern at Arkham Asylum responsible for the psychiatric meetings with the Joker. Joker, usually an unhinged and maniacal character, also proved to be more flamboyant and charismatic, painting himself as someone tragically insane and needing affection. This would appeal to Harleen’s personality, who was already attracted to the ‘charm’ of patients. She would eventually develop feelings for him, entirely falling for his act and pledging her loyalty in one of the most superb examples of ‘I can fix him.’ She would eventually become his sidekick, adopting the persona of ‘Harley Quinn’ and becoming what we recognize her for the most: delusion attracted to malicious lunacy.

In the series and several comic book volumes, Joker often looks down on Harley as a person, frequently breaking his charm and revealing his true colors to her so that she can remain devoted to him. 

However, it is yet to be seen how much inspiration the future film will take from this classically established dynamic. 

Production Reveal: Big Names Returning

Lady Gaga and Joaqin Phoenix

The new sequel will have its screenplay written by both Todd Philips and Scott Silver from the previous film, as well as Todd Philips coming back as director to exact his new vision to Arthur Fleck’s story in Folie à Deux, despite originally producing the first film to be made and perceived as a stand-alone. However, considering the quality of Joker(2019), I doubt Todd Philips will disappoint with this new installment, and he is most likely to add more from all the colors available in his palate to create the picture he wishes through these films to its fullest potential.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix, reprising his role as the main lead Arthur Fleck/Joker, a performance which won him his Academy Award for Best Leading Actor, one can only imagine the level of quality he will bring to this film simply through his talents alone. I myself feel a thrill for this film through the notion that he might try to top or outdo his last performance with something better.
The head-over-heels partner in crime will be performed by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Although Lady Gaga’s versatility in the entertainment industry is well known, and she already has some impressive performances under her belt, I am forced to question whether her performance lives up to what her co-star might bring to the table. However, considering that Todd Philips is no joke as a director, we can assume he’ll fully utilize Lady Gaga’s show-stopping ability as an actress and deliver an impressive enough performance to meet the precedence of the previous film.

Brendan Gleeson, Zazie Beetz

“I love musicals, and I think of them as characters who feel and experience so much that they can only sing and dance about it, whether in sorrow or in joy.”

                                ~Zazie Beetz

Other co-stars will include Steve Coogan, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener in undisclosed roles. Gleeson, who joined the cast for this film out of admiration for Phoenix’s “indelible” performance, as he puts it, also mentions how he is intimidated by what he has to do for his role, casting an air of mystery over what purpose is character may serve.

Another actress reprising her role from the previous film is Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond, who, from the last movie, was the subject of Arthur’s fantasies and desires and fabricated an entire love plot entirely in his head. Considering the intrigue of the twist in the previous film, it piques my interest even further to think of what possible reason she may be returning for this role, considering the impact of Arthur’s actions in the previous film and subsequent confinement.

However, Zazie Beetz herself has a different opinion: “I actually think it makes wonderful sense. I wasn’t really surprised by that Todd has always had a very creative approach to the character.”

Francis Ford Coppola’s One From The Heart

“It’s an interesting decision. It’s both logical and very surprsing for me aswell as the audience. So far, it’s just been a really beautiful conversation, and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds.” 

~Hildur Guðnadóttir

Lawrence Sher will return with the main crew as cinematographer, his work on the previous film having so effectively captured its bleak and desolate nature from Arthur Fleck’s perspective; I would be confident that he has more than proven the scale of his talents. Sher cites Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘One From The Heart‘ as his visual inspiration for Joker 2. Considering the fantastical visual nature of that film, every scene bursting to the brim with color, an over-the-top glamorous tribute to the musical films of its time, it is most likely this visual style will complement the jarring and bizarre nature of Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn’s spiral into madness, reminiscent of a fever dream.

Another exciting reprisal will be the composer for this film’s score, Hildur Guðnadóttir. Her work for Joker(2019) was nothing short of iconic, as was her work in ‘Chernobyl,’ contributing to its stunning score. Her inclusion in the filmmaking process for Folie à Deux guarantees that despite whatever doubts you and I may have about this film, her score will deliver and tear through our expectations.

“All I can say is that there is going to be a lot of music.”

Joker 2: Where Is The Plot Headed?

Harvery Dent referenced as trial Prosecutor

From what we know so far based on the plot for this film, it will take place directly after the ending of Joker(2019), with Arthur being escorted by police to the Superior Court of Gotham, where it is assumed he will face trial for incitement of right on top of the two murders he committed in the previous film as well as shooting Murray Franklin on live television. Arthur’s appearance in court indicates that there may be multiple courtroom scenes throughout the film, assuming there are significant gaps between court dates akin to actual trials.
Regarding the other protagonist for this film, Harley Quinn, and her dynamic with Arthur, I wouldn’t put it past Todd Philips to subvert expectations, deviate from the established canon narrative, and change the way their relationship occurs, how it functions, and just which one of them might be the crazier one. Considering the already unique depiction of the Joker’s character through Arthur Fleck, it is safe to assume Harley Quinn will bring an equally unique display alongside the Joker.

Gaga as Harley Quinn surrounded by supporters of the Joker.

In another photo, we see a newspaper headline depicting Lady Gaga’s character as publicly known as the Joker’s ‘new love.’ The newspaper headline uses a much older-looking mugshot photo of Harley Quinn’s admittance into Arkham Asylum. This implies that not only might she not be a psychiatrist in this story, but she also has been a patient in the asylum for quite sometime before Arthur’s confinement.
In other revealed photos, we also witness her among the crowd supporting Arthur outside the Superior Court of Gotham, confirming her release. These details suggest several theories regarding how she forms her bond with Arthur: whether she meets him during his stay at Arkham Asylum or after her release. Should the film follow a courtroom setting, their bond may flourish in Arthur’s confinement between court dates, and she may even assist him in escaping into Gotham.
What is clear, though, is that apart from her role as Joker’s romantic love interest and sharing his delusional psychosis, she acts as the main symbol and mascot during Arthur’s trials for the movement of people erupted from his actions in the previous film.

FOLIE À DEUX: Where Does It Stand?

“I used to think my life is a tragedy, but now I realize it’s a comedy.”

The doubts audiences may have of this film are understandable, considering the noticeable unpopularity of musicals as a genre. However, it is clear from Todd Philipp’s vision for this sequel that it is meant to portray the downward trajectory of both Arthur And Harley, both of their mutual ‘folly’ in the form of a musical, allowing us to view their psychosis from their perspective: fantastic and whimsical. In the same sense as the feeling we have as children playing pretend, a complete dismissal on our part of the realities of the world, sometimes maybe to cope with our situation and our state of well-being, making up our fantasies that many people that were lonely or may have faced abuse as children would relate to, and this is especially in the case of mentally ill individuals such as Arthur and Harley It is a direct callback to Arthur’s infamous quote in the previous film, in which he expresses how his life is a comedy instead of a tragedy. With how we witness the disturbing set of events that occur, his assessment is quite jarring and adds even more to just how twisted his illness has made his perspective. This exact portrayal will happen again through the musical setting of Joker 2.

 We, the audience, followed Arthur’s point of view and his struggle with his mental illness. We dived into how he saw things through the way he fabricated his time with Sophie. Considering the previous film’s ending, where it turns out he’s narrating the entire story to a psychiatrist, it questions how much of the earlier film was fabricated and what was real.

 Judging by what we know about the sequel, one may assume it confirms everything that all his murders and the glory he received from his new movement were real, but it can also be repeated that the sequel may be nothing more than a continuation of his delusions. . .

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