In a new interview, director Todd Phillips reveals that he and actor Joaquin Phoenix considered bringing Arthur Fleck's character to the Broadway stage.
- August 22, 2024
AceShowbiz - Initially, director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix considered bringing Arthur Fleck's character to the Broadway stage. However, the logistics of such a production and the COVID-19 pandemic derailed these plans.
The concept of a musical Joker performance eventually transformed into the cinematic musical, "Joker: Folie a Deux". Set two years after the original film, Phoenix's Arthur Fleck finds himself in Arkham Asylum, where he forms a twisted bond with fellow patient Harleen "Lee" Quinzel, played by Lady GaGa.
The film features a variety show sequence where Phoenix and GaGa portray a homicidal Sonny & Cher, as seen in the first trailer. Music plays a pivotal role in the plot's development, as the characters express themselves through song and dance.
Phillips stated that the goal of the film is "to make it feel like it was made by crazy people" and that "the inmates are running the asylum."
Despite the initial Broadway aspirations, Phillips expressed no plans for a third "Joker" movie or his previously announced Hulk Hogan-centered project. He remarked that "it was fun to play in this sort of sandbox for two movies, but I think we've said what we wanted to say in this world."
"Joker: Folie a Deux" is set to have its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival on September 4 and is set to hit theaters on October 4.
