Summary
Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn will be very different from theDCComics version inJoker: Folie à Deux. While the world is waiting forJames Gunn’s DC Universeto start, Warner Bros. Discovery is returning to one of their Elseworlds universes this fall with Joaquin Phoenix’sJokerfranchise. Todd Phillips, who served as writer and director on the firstJokermovie, returns for the sequel.Joker: Folie à Deuxwill continue the storyof Arthur Fleck while also introducing Harley Quinn into his world.
In a new interview withVariety, Todd Phillips spoke about the upcomingJokersequel and what audiences can expect from the film. With Lady Gaga playing Harley Quinn, Phillips stressed that comic book fans should not be expecting the traditional version of the character, sharing the following:
The high voice, that accent, the gum-chewing and all that sort of sassy stuff that’s in the comics, we stripped that away. We wanted her to fit into this world of Gotham that we created from the first movie.
Every Batman Character In The Joker Movies
2019’s Joker and the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux features a small yet dynamic collection of existing characters from the Batman mythos.
Why Joker 2 Is Making So Many Changes To Harley Quinn
There are many reasonsJoker: Folie à Deuxcould’ve wanted to reimagine Harley Quinn as much as possible. It could boil down to the fact that Lady Gaga’s version of Harley Quinn is coming only a few years after Margot Robbie’s versionin the DCEU movie timeline, which could have opened the door for a lot of discussion about too many similarities. Another crucial element that may have played a factor is that, in today’s society, it is very problematic for Harley to be Joker’s psychologist only to then fall in love with him, and end up in a very abusive relationship that other stories have explored in the past.
Even thoughtheJokermoviesare based on comic book characters, the movie series itself doesn’t really feel comic book-y, and is more so a grittier interpretation of these characters. The level of intensity that comes with Harley may simply not have been something that would have fitJoker: Folie à Deuxin the end. Based on what has been presented by Phillips so far, they are leaning more into the darker elements of Harley while also creating a new connection between her and Joker.
Despite a radically different take on Harley, it will still be exciting to see Lady Gaga bring this character to life in a very new light. With Lady Gaga’s stardom and talent, her portrayal of Harley could turn out to be one of the most beloved interpretations of her in media. AsJoker: Folie à Deuxarrives in less than two months, the world will soon enough know what kind of Harley they will get from Lady Gaga.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Cast
Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips' critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker’s lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe.
