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Joker: Folie à Deux is finally here, and the lengthy wait for the return of Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck – and the introduction of Lady Gaga's Harley "Lee" Quinzel – is over at last.
The sequel to 2019's massive hit Joker is an unexpected and all new spin on the Clown Princess of Crime, too, with Gaga's Harley a very different interpretation to the classic origin.
We've got everything you need to know about Joker 2, officially titled Joker: Folie à Deux, below, with the lowdown on the trailer, what happens in the plot, and much more besides. That means there are spoilers for the movie here, so tread carefully if you haven't seen it yet.
Article continues belowBefore we get started, though, we should get one thing clear: Joker 2 might be a DC movie, but it's not part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Instead, the new movie exists in its own Elseworlds continuity, which is also separate from Matt Reeves's Bat-verse.
So, without further ado, head to the below for everything you need to know about Joker: Folie à Deux.
Joker: Folie à Deux release date
Joker: Folie à Deux was released on October 4, 2024. That's exactly five years since the first movie was released.
Joker: Folie à Deux trailer
There were two full length trailers for Joker: Folie à Deux. The first, seen above, shows that, in a flip from the comics, this time around Harley Quinn will be the one corrupting the Joker. We see the duo meet in Arkham, where Harley is revealed to be a patient rather than a psychiatrist, and she encourages him to slide back into supervillainy.
The second trailer sees Harley smash a shop window to get to a TV playing footage of the Joker, and even teases the film's musical elements. Watch it below.
Joker: Folie à Deux cast
Joker: Folie à Deux has a stacked cast. See the major players below:
- Joaquin Phoenix – the Joker/Arthur Fleck
- Lady Gaga – Harley Quinn
- Catherine Keener – Maryanne Stewart
- Brendan Gleeson – Jackie Sullivan
- Zazie Beetz – Sophie
- Steve Coogan – Paddy Meyers
Joker: Folie à Deux plot
Joker: Folie à Deux picks up with Arthur Fleck behind bars in Arkham. His trial is looming, with Harvey Dent prosecuting. Before the trial, though, Arthur meets a fellow patient named Lee Quinzel. The duo bond over music, and, when Lee is due to be released, she tells Arthur to stop taking his medication. She's a massive fan of the Joker, and she claims to have been forcibly committed by her mother and to have lived in the same area as Arthur.
When the case goes to trial, Lee shows up to watch every day. Arthur's lawyer warns him that Lee has been lying: she went to grad school for psychiatry, she voluntarily committed herself, and she's from a wealthy part of Gotham, where she lives with her parents. Arthur ends up firing his lawyer and takes over his own legal defence, arriving in the courtroom dressed as the Joker in full clown makeup.
Lee becomes more and more like the classic Harley Quinn we recognize, wearing increasingly colorful outfits and makeup styles. Arthur, though, begins to become disillusioned with the concept of the Joker and, in court, renounces his alter-ego. In disgust, Lee leaves.
The courthouse is blown up by Arthur's fanbase, and he flees to meet Lee on that famous staircase. While Arthur wants to run away and start a new life, Lee wants nothing to do with him anymore. It seems like her pregnancy is another lie, too. Lee sings to Arthur, even as he asks her to stop, and then leaves him alone to be arrested.
In Arkham, another patient, hurt that Arthur has turned his back on the Joker, stabs Arthur to death.
For more, check out our full breakdown of the Joker 2 ending.
Joker: Folie à Deux review
Joker: Folie à Deux reviews have been mixed to bad. Our own Joker: Folie à Deux review is 2 stars, and the verdict is: "Part courtroom movie, part behind-bars romance, Folie à Deux is an unconventional musical sequel that fails to hit the high notes."
That's a wrap on Joker: Folie à Deux. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else the DCU has in store.
