Judging by the poor reviews and abysmal box office, there aren’t too many die-hard fans of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” It appears that director Todd Phillips has created a film that upset both the people who loved and hated the previous “Joker.” However, if he cares about any review, perhaps he’ll prefer to hear what someone like Quentin Tarantino has to say. 

READ MORE: Paul Schrader Calls ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ A “Bad Musical” & Walked Out During His Screening

Speaking on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Quentin Tarantino talked about his thoughts regarding “Joker: Folie à Deux.” He didn’t just like the “Joker” sequel, Tarantino absolutely loved the movie.

Continue reading Quentin Tarantino Raves About ‘Joker 2’ & Says Joaquin Phoenix Gives “One Of The Best Performances I’ve Ever Seen” at The Playlist.

Things aren’t going so well for Warner Bros. and its most recent release, “Joker: Folie à Deux.” The film debuted in theaters this past weekend and had a dismal showing, both in box office and in customer ratings. To put it in perspective, the film somehow had a lower CinemaScore than Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” [D vs. D+, respectively]. But that didn’t actually stop the aforementioned Coppola from praising Todd Phillips’ new ‘Joker’ sequel.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: Francis Ford Coppola Praises Film For Being “One Step Ahead” Of The Audience at The Playlist.

I don’t know why we didn’t expect this to happen. The writing was on the wall the whole time. Alas, now we know Lady Gaga is going to release a new album, “Harlequin,” on September 27 that ties into the release of her upcoming film, “Joker: Folie à Deux.”

READ MORE: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Review: This Sequel May Cost Phillips Some Fans, But It Will Convert the Agnostics [Venice]

According to Gaga herself, the upcoming “Harlequin” is an album meant to accompany the release of “Joker: Folie à Deux.” It’s inspired by the film but doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a soundtrack.

Continue reading ‘Harlequin’: Lady Gaga Announces Companion Album To The Upcoming ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ at The Playlist.

We are only a couple of weeks away from the release of Todd Phillips’ highly anticipated sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux.” And honestly, it doesn’t feel like there’s this huge groundswell of support like what happened with the first film. Sure, box office projections are pretty high, but the sequel has giant shoes to fill if it wants to match the $1 billion gross of the original. 

READ MORE: 2024 Fall Film Preview: 50 Movies To Watch

As seen in the new trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” we get a better look at what people can expect from the sequel.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Trailer: Lady Gaga Serenades & Joaquin Phoenix Is In Court In Todd Phillips’ Sequel at The Playlist.

While there have been multiple trailers and already folks are reviewing it out of Venice, there appears to still be some secrets left in “Joker: Folie à Deux’ for audiences to discover for themselves. Hell, it wasn’t until the most recent trailer that we found out that Harvey Dent is a character in the film. And according to the actor who plays that role, he didn’t even know he was auditioning for the part when he met Todd Phillips. 

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: Harry Lawtey Didn’t Realize He Was Auditioning For Harvey Dent Role at The Playlist.

When speaking about films in an increasingly saturated and click-hungry media landscape, very few descriptors are so rarely merited and so often used as “divisive.” But if there is one recent film deserving of the adjective, it is Todd Phillips’s “Joker.” 

After a career built on directing American comedies like “The Hangover” and “School of Scoundrels,” Phillips turned his attention to a very different kind of comic to craft his take on the infamous green-haired villain.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Review: This Sequel May Cost Phillips Some Fans, But It Will Convert the Agnostics [Venice] at The Playlist.

Months ago, reports started to float around saying Todd Phillips’ “Joker” sequel was going to be a musical. This made people equally intrigued and confused. But now that we’re closer to the film’s release and we’ve seen a trailer, it makes a bit more sense. So, not only now are we expecting “Joker: Folie à Deux” to be a musical, but according to the filmmaker, this is also a farewell.

Continue reading Todd Phillips Says He Isn’t Interested In Doing A ‘Joker 3’ at The Playlist.

Back in 2019, when “Joker” had its world premiere at Venice, everyone was caught off guard by the barrage of glowing reviews. People knew the film might be popular, but no one expected the film to be an awards season contender. Now, with the release of the “Joker” sequel—also making its debut at Venice—people’s expectations are sky high. And according to the Venice director, the film delivers.

Speaking to Deadline, Venice director Alberto Barbera talked about his reaction after seeing “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Yes, it’s in his best interest to promote the hell out of the film, considering it will be premiering at the event.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: Venice Director Says It’s A “Dystopian Musical” That Left Him “Astonished” at The Playlist.

The follow-up to the billion-dollar global hit that earned Joaquin Phoenix the Best Actor Oscar statue back in 2020, Warner Bros. spent yesterday promoting the mature comic book sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux” at CinemaCon 2024 in Las Vegas and unveiled a new trailer.

And that trailer has raised all sorts of questions, including how much of a musical the film is and how different it will be from the original “Joker” film.

Continue reading Todd Phillips Says Despite Musical Elements, ‘Joker 2’ Won’t “Veer Too Far” From Original Film at The Playlist.

“He’s not alone anymore.” Against seemingly all odds, given its R-rating, adult nature, and disconnection from traditional cinema superheroics, Warner Bros. “Joker” movie earned over $1 billion at the box office in 2019, the sixth highest-grossing movie of the year, even outgrossing “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” worldwide.

READ MORE: ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’: Todd Phillips Reveals New Images, Cinematographer Says Sequel Isn’t A Musical

Previously, the highest-grossing R-rated superhero film was “Deadpool 2” ($785.8 million), but “Joker,” a much grittier “Taxi Driver”-esque drama than a superhero film, trumped that figure by nearly $400 million.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie À Deux’ Trailer: Lady Gaga Joins Joaquin Phoenix In Musical Supervillain Sequel at The Playlist.

One of the year’s most anticipated films is definitely “Napoleon.” Though his recent output hasn’t been as consistent as we’d like, there’s no denying Ridley Scott is one of the best filmmakers of the past several decades. Not only is he behind the camera for the historical epic, but we also get Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. And though Phoenix and Scott had already previously worked together, the filmmaker was inspired to cast the actor based on one of his more recent performances. 

Continue reading Ridley Scott Enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’ Performance But “Didn’t Like The Way It Celebrated Violence” at The Playlist.

Lady Gaga has sold millions and millions of records and tickets to shows over the course of her years-long singing career, but when it comes to acting, she seems to be fully committed to the art of performing on screen. That commitment includes the idea of going “method”  on set, never breaking character even when cameras aren’t rolling. According to cinematographer Lawrence Sher, Gaga’s method created plenty of awkward moments on the set of “Joker: Folie à Deux.”

In a recent episode of The Trenches Talk, Lawrence Sher, the cinematographer on both “Joker” and the forthcoming “Joker: Folie à Deux,” spoke about his unique relationship with actress Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn in the new film. 

READ MORE: Lady Gaga Studied A House Cat, A Fox & A Panther To Help Her Get Into Character For ‘House of Gucci’

You see, much like we’ve been made aware by interviews with the singer-turned-actress regarding her previous work, Lady Gaga loves to go full method on set.

Continue reading ‘Joker 2’: Lawrence Sher Said He “Never Met” The Real Lady Gaga On Set As She Would Only Answer To Her Character’s Name at The Playlist.

When Todd Phillips’ film, “Joker,” debuted at Venice in 2019, the film would earn immediate acclaim and went on to win the top prize, the Golden Lion. But once the film made its debut around the world, the general public seemed to have a mixed reaction. Sure, the film was making a ton of money at the box office (eventually earning more than $1 billion), but there were many that thought the film was trying a bit too hard to be edgy and could actually be seen as a way to inspire future violence by its viewers.

Continue reading Lucrecia Martel Defends ‘Joker’ Golden Lion Win & Still Thinks Todd Phillips’ Film Is “Incredible”  at The Playlist.

While there are plenty of people who can debate the merits of Todd Phillips’ Oscar-winning film, “Joker,” there is really no denying the film looks great. And a large part of that look falls on the shoulders of cinematographer Lawrence Sher. And in a new interview with Matti Haapoja, Sher went deep into breaking down the look of “Joker,” while also teasing one of the influences for the upcoming sequel.

Continue reading ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’: Cinematographer Lawrence Sher Says Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘One From The Heart’ Influenced The Look Of The Sequel at The Playlist.

What better way then to celebrate toxic love and toxic relationships than a new image of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in the upcoming “Joker” sequel on Valentine’s Day? Well, that is exactly what filmmaker Todd Phillips did this evening on V-day, revealing the first image from “Joker: Folie à Deux,” featuring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn and Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as The Joker/Arthur Fleck.

Continue reading First Look: Lady Gaga As Harley Quinn In The ‘Joker’ Sequel at The Playlist.

As we approach the start of production on the highly-anticipated DC film, “Joker: Folie à Deux,” it appears that Todd Phillips is beginning to round out the cast for his sequel. So, it’s time to welcome Jacob Lofland to the madhouse.

According to THR, Jacob Lofland is the latest actor to join Joaquin Phoenix in the upcoming “Joker” sequel. Lofland joins the previously announced Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener in the cast.

Continue reading ‘Joker 2’: Jacob Lofland Is The Latest Actor To Join Joaquin Phoenix In The Sequel at The Playlist.

Well, as fan sentiment around Warner Bros. Discovery deteriorates rapidly thanks to the cancellation of “Batgirl” and the rumors of sweeping changes regarding the future of the DC superhero film universe, it appears there’s one bit of positive news going around— “Joker 2” is finally officially official. And not only do we have the previously announced release date, but Lady Gaga is confirming her role in the film. 

Continue reading Lady Gaga Shares ‘Joker 2’ Teaser Confirming Her Role In The Film at The Playlist.

It’s been an incredibly rough week for Warner Bros. and the DC Universe following the news that the freshly-appointed bosses had canceled their “Batgirl” film at Discovery in new cost-cutting measures (Discover acquired WB earlier this year). But what is the cornerstone move of any corporation once they deliver bad news or it gets leaked? Strategically offer “good news” to try and counter-balance the negativity of the bad press accrued yesterday.

READ MORE: ‘Batgirl’ Directors Are “Saddened & Shocked” By The Film’s Abrupt Cancellation: “We Still Can’t Believe It”

So, that “good news” something to distract fans with?

Continue reading Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie À Deux’ Dated For Fall 2024 at The Playlist.

Send in the clown again. Well, the rumors are true, and it seems director Todd Phillips is getting ahead of them and trying to announce things on his own terms. Following a recent Puck News report that Phillips was “getting close” on a sequel to “Joker 2” and all of us wondering what that means exactly, well, “The Hangover” director has revealed that exactly. Posting to Instagram, Phillips posted the cover page of his “Joker” sequel script, showing the title in the process.

Continue reading Director Todd Phillips Confirms ‘Joker’ Sequel & Reveals New Title at The Playlist.

As the formerly AT&T-owned Warner Bros. turns into Warner Bros. Discovery, the future of DC Films is undergoing yet another facelift, reevaluation, and reorg. As David Zaslav takes over, he’s already making many changes. At least one film has been canned altogether; former MGM chief Michael De Luca, along with Pamela Abdyhas been tasked to take over Warner Bros. and oversee DC Films, and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot DC projects sound like they will all undergo severe scrutiny (keep an eye out there).

Continue reading ‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Reportedly Getting “Close” On A Sequel at The Playlist.

As has been covered quite a bit over the recent months, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has been hard at work, since the acquisition closed, cleaning house and restructuring the film side of the major Hollywood studio. We already knew that Zaslav was hoping that a large part of the restructure would involve DC Films and how WBD’s superhero franchises move forward at the studio. But what is fairly shocking is who Zaslav has been in contact with about helping change the future of DC Films— none other than Todd Phillips.

Continue reading ‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Eyed As Potential DC Films “Advisor” at The Playlist.

While the scream of frustration that welcomed “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” may have folks wary of new “Star Wars” movies, a lot has also broken right for the franchise’s episodic adaptations. “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” were well-received by audiences, and the return of Ewan McGregor in the new “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series is something of a television event.

Continue reading Your Joker Origin Story Could Be ‘The Obi-Wan’ Director Comparing The Series To ‘Joker’ & ‘Logan’ at The Playlist.

Willem Dafoe’s grin is legendary. It can bring joy, but it can also inspire fear. We’ve seen it on screen for decades now and the smile never gets old. So, why not bring that face to a character who also has an iconic smile?

Speaking to GQ, Willem Dafoe talked about his history of playing villains in films. But he does so without actually admitting that he actually plays a lot of bad guys in movies.

Continue reading Willem Dafoe Has An Idea For A “Dueling Jokers” Film Opposite Joaquin Phoenix at The Playlist.

Joaquin Phoenix can certainly be mercurial, cagey, and unpredictable in real life, depending on his mood and the kinds of questions you throw at him, but he’s also as affable and playful. His director Mike Mills (“Beginners,” “20th Century Women”) the filmmaker behind the new lovely drama, “C’mon C’mon” has even described him as a “sweetheart,” and that’s pretty apt for the character he plays in Mills’ movie, a radio journalist, who is unexpectedly thrown together with his young nephew, Jesse (tremendous newcomer Woody Norman, read our interview here) when his sister (Gaby Hoffmann) has to attend to her husband (Scott McNairy) with mental health issues.

Continue reading Joaquin Phoenix Talks Mike Mills’ Lovely ‘C’mon C’mon,’ ‘Joker’ & The Gentle Art Of Interviewing [Interview] at The Playlist.

One of the most polarizing films of the last few years, at least on social media, Todd Phillips’ “Joker” movie was released two years ago today. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Arthur Fleck / Joker character, a mentally ill man experiencing the worst few weeks of his life until he’s pushed over the edge of sanity, the movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and ultimately won two prizes including a Best Actor Oscar for Phoenix.

Continue reading Joaquin Phoenix Is Still Open To More ‘Joker,’ But Still Unsure If A Sequel Will Be Made at The Playlist.