The official trailer for Joker: Folie À Deux is out, and it carries a warning: “Get ready for the judgment day.”
The sequel to Todd Phillips’ hit 2019 dark psychological thriller Joker, the new movie finds Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as Arthur Fleck, A.K.A. Joker, Batman’s arch nemesis. But this time, he has an admirer by his side: Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
Joker: Folie À Deux “finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him,” reads the official description from Warner Bros.
“When I first saw Joker, when I saw you, for once in my life, I didn’t feel so alone anymore,” Gaga says in the trailer as Harley Quinn. She’s shown stealing a TV broadcasting Arthur Fleck out of a shop window and staring at him like an idol. At other points, she’s shown in what appears to be a mental hospital, which could be Arkham State Hospital.
The trailer for Joker: Folie À Deux also teases that Fleck will be on trial, presumably for murdering Robert De Niro’s character, talk show host Murray Franklin, in the first movie, as well as multiple people on the subway.
“Two years ago, the name Arthur Fleck hit Gotham like a hurricane. They believe Arthur Fleck to be some kind of martyr. Well, he’s not. He’s a monster,” a newscaster’s voice says at the beginning of the trailer, which shows Fleck in the back of a police car.
Joker: Folie À Deux Trailer Shows Arthur Fleck on Trial
Another disembodied newscaster’s voice calls Fleck’s trial “the trial of the century.”
“Look around, look at all these people. I will no longer allow any of you to keep me down,” Phoenix says as Fleck in the trial.
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Fleck is also shown in jail, where Harley Quinn visits him, and smoking a cigarette the prison courtyard with a prison guard played by Brendan Gleeson.
“How about you Arthur? Do you still think you’re a star?” Gleeson’s character asks.
Like in the first Joker, there are riots in the streets, with people donning Joker makeup in Fleck’s image.
“You can do anything you want,” Quinn tells Fleck. “You’re Joker.”
The trailer also teases a televised broadcast featuring Joker and Harley Quinn on stage.
“I have the sneaking suspicion that we’re not giving the people what they want,” Fleck says.
“It’s okay, baby. Let’s give the people what they want,” Quinn replies.
The trailer ends with Quinn and Fleck singing Judy Garland’s song Get Happy together.
“Sing Hallelujah, come on get happy, get ready for the judgment day,” they sing, as Fleck walks away in chains, a smile on his face.
Philips’ 2019 Joker won Phoenix the Academy Award for Best Actor as well as Best Original Score. Phillips was nominated for directing, writing and producing.
Based on characters from DC, Joker: Folie À Deux was written by Scott Silver and Phillips, and produced by Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Joseph Garner. Lady Gaga served as a music consultant, and Michael E. Uslan, Georgia Kacandes, Silver, Mark Friedberg and Jason Ruder are executive producers.
The director of photography is Lawrence Sher, the production designer is Mark Friedberg, the editor is editor Jeff Groth, and the composer is Hildur Guđnadóttir, who won the Best Original Score Oscar for the first film. Joining the team for the second film are costume designer Arianne Phillips (Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood, Don’t Worry Darling).
Joker: Folie À Deux arrives in theaters on October 4.
You can watch the new trailer above.
Main Image: Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie À Deux, Warner Bros. Pictures.