In a dark corridor of an asylum, a disheveled man in a striped prison uniform is being led by guards. As he passes a choir room, his eyes meet those of a striking blonde woman holding a Night Nurse card to her face like a gun. She mimes pulling the trigger.
Such is the haunting opening of the first trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” providing our first look at Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s return as the unsettling Arthur Fleck/Joker character that earned him an Oscar in 2019.
The highly anticipated psychological thriller sequel once again comes from director Todd Phillips, who struck box office gold – over $1 billion worldwide – with his gritty, realistic take on the Joker’s origin story.
In the new trailer set to a somber cover of “Somethin’ Stupid,” glimpses are given of the pair’s troubling romance blooming amidst scenes of violence, riots and impromptu dance numbers on grimy Gotham streets.
“I’m nobody. I haven’t done anything with my life like you have,” Gaga’s soft-voiced Quinn tells a jailed Fleck, before the two are shown kissing through bars.
Phoenix’s Joker responds at one point: “I’ll tell you what’s changed. I’m not alone anymore.”
While plot details remain tightly under wraps, the filmmakers appear to be putting their own new spin on the classic Batman villain couple first introduced in the 1990s comics.
Joining Phoenix and Gaga in the stacked cast are Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz, reprising her role as the ill-fated neighbor Sophie from the first film.
The trailer’s French title “Folie à Deux” translates to “madness for two,” hinting at the central dysfunctional relationship and potential for the lead characters’ descents into shared delusional disorder.
Fans have been eager for any details about Gaga’s take on Harley after her casting was first announced in 2022. The pop superstar has proved her acting mettle in recent years with roles in films like “A Star Is Born” and “House of Gucci.”
All will be revealed when “Joker: Folie à Deux” brings more chaos to the big screen starting October 4th. By then, the world may be ready to embrace the madness.
