Let’s face it: Hollywood loves a sequel. And when a film like 2019’s Joker blows up the box office the way it did, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion.
So, sources this week strongly suggest Joker 2 is indeed moving forward, according to movieweb.com, and the original film’s director–Todd Phillips–reportedly has signed on to at very least co-write the screenplay. Whether he also will helm the project is unclear.
The lynchpin to any sequel, of course, would be having Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the manic Clown Prince of Crime. His decidedly different take on The Batman’s arch-enemy was a cinematic tour de force, and having him slip back into the role (and the makeup) would seem to be crucial to any success.
The R-rated Joker was a surprise hit to most, as it pulled down more than $1 billion at the global box office on a budget of $55 million. In addition, the psychological thriller earned 11 Oscar nominations–including Best Picture and Best Director–and a golden statuette for Phoenix.
Joker–directed and produced by Phillips from a screenplay he wrote with Scott Silver–is set in 1981 and follows Arthur Fleck (Phoenix), a failed clown and stand-up comedian “whose decent into insanity inspires a violent counter-culture revolution against the wealthy in a decaying Gotham City.”
Keep reading Horror News Network for all updates on this developing story surrounding the sequel to Joker.
