Joker 2 Composer Teases What We Already Suspected About The Sequel
2019's "Joker" was a major hit. Bucking modern comic book adaptation trends, the film focused on Batman's best-known villain, giving him a tragic origin story that sees him upend the social order of Gotham. The film may have been envisioned as a standalone Elseworlds story, but after grossing over $1 billion at the global box office, it's understandable that Warner Bros. would want to follow it up with a sequel.
That means director Todd Phillips is back in the saddle with the sequel, "Joker: Folie à Deux." Not much is known about the story at this point, but Lady Gaga was added to the cast as the Clown Prince's partner in crime, Harley Quinn. And when The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news of Lady Gaga's involvement, there was also word the sequel would be a musical, at least partially. It would make sense given Lady Gaga's background, and now, "Joker 2" composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has hinted that's indeed the case.
When speaking to ComicBook.com about the music of "Joker: Folie à Deux," Guðnadóttir stated, "All I can say is there is going to be a lot of music. That's all I can give away." Guðnadóttir won the Oscar for best original score for her work on "Joker," so getting her back for the follow-up is a big deal. And if a musical is in the cards, it's exciting to think of what she might create this time around.
Joker 2 should make for a mad affair
Hildur Guðnadóttir's haunting score was a highlight of "Joker." The use of cellos created a general sense of unease that went along swimmingly with the film's themes. Guðnadóttir confirmed she would work on the music for "Joker 2" this past January, and with a musical element in the mix, it's intriguing to think of what these songs could sound like. Will she keep them in the vein of the score everyone knows or branch out into something else entirely? Lady Gaga is an exceptional singer, so whatever the music sounds like, she can handle it.
And Joaquin Phoenix is a good singer in his own right. Many people may not have realized that he actually sang in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line." The two of them together could perform some beautifully tragic music, and one thing the sequel has going for it is that it seems like a vast departure from the first film.
"Joker: Folie à Deux" has already finished filming, and set photos gave audiences a glimpse of what to expect out of Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn. There are even pictures of her dancing on the staircase made famous in the first movie. And "Joker 2" has even more cast members to look forward to with Zazie Beets coming back as Sophie as well as currently undisclosed characters played by Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Harry Lawtey, and Jacob Lofland. "Joker: Folie à Deux" is currently set to come out in theaters on October 4, 2024.