Premiering at the Lido tonight is “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the highly anticipated sequel to 2019’s controversial “Joker.” Stars Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix talk about making the film and why the latter abruptly left Todd Haynes’ gay romance film
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Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga and director Todd Phillips are hoping to get a standing ovation at the Lido when their highly anticipated sequel to Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux, will be previewed at81st Venice Film Festival this Wednesday evening.
The film brings us back to Arthur Fleck (aka Joker), who is facing a long trial for his murder spree. During a trip to a psychiatric rehabilitation center he crosses paths with Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) and thus develops a jukebox musical in which the central characters divide into spectacular delusions of grandeur.
Speaking at a press conference about why she was involved, Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, said: “The first film really, deeply moved me. and I loved it so much.”
He continued: “Sometimes when you tell stories of people who are perhaps misunderstood by society, the director gives you the opportunity, the actors give you the opportunity, to take a harder look at the world. I got to understand and see something in a way that I had never seen before, and that’s why I made this film.”
The first one Jokerreleased in 2019it was a huge successbecoming the highest grossing R-rated film of all time (only recently surpassed by Deadpool & Wolverine) and winning numerous awards, including two Oscars for Best Actor and Best Original Score (a first for a DC film), as well asGolden Lion scope at the 76th Venice Film Festival.
When asked why the film was so successful, director Todd Phillips replied: “Some people saw it as just an adaptation of a comic book, while others saw it as something else. Movies tend to hold a mirror up to society, so I think it was very timely.“.
Regarding the decision to make a sequel, Phillips added: “I knew that Joaquin [Phoenix] he wasn’t going to do just any sequel, and we had joked about doing one, but if we really wanted to do it, he had to scare him like he had done the first one. It had to feel bold and like we were really going for something different. How can we do something as unexpected as the first one?”
During the conference, Phoenix was also asked why he abruptly left Todd Haynes’ upcoming gay romance film just days before production began. The news was first reported in August and went viral with speculation from fans of the film on social media.
Phoenix has avoided the question: “I think if I were to answer this question, I would just share my opinion from my point of view, and the others are not here to give their opinion and that doesn’t seem right to me, so I don’t think I will. Thank you.”
Joker: Folie à Deux will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in Competition and will be released on October 2. Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for our full review.
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