This Wild Joker 2 Theory Changes Everything About Arthur Fleck & Harley Quinn
The "Joker: Folie à Deux" trailer is out and the DC fandom is all in for what appears to be another wild ride through Gotham, courtesy of director Todd Phillips. The sequel to 2019's "Joker" will feature Lady Gaga taking on the role of Harley Quinn, with the character's relationship to Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck serving as the cornerstone for the film's plot. Certain fans seem to feel this iteration of the chaotic couple will be vastly different from what they've seen before.
Over on Reddit, theories are already getting thrown around for what could possibly be in store for Gotham's sadistic Bonnie and Clyde. "Anyone else get the feeling that The Joker/Harley relationship is going to be an inverse of their comic portrayal? I'm thinking Arthur is trying not to relapse back into his Joker persona but Harley is the one influencing him more to embrace it," u/wonderfulworldofwill wrote.
Such a relationship would differ greatly from the pair's original dynamic; traditional comic book portrayals of Joker and Harley often see the former abusing the latter while expecting total unconditional obedience. Judging from the chatter on social media, if Phillips takes DC's most notorious couple in another direction, fans will likely welcome the change.
Could Harley Quinn become a corruptive force for Arthur Fleck?
There's already a good amount of theories surrounding Harley Quinn's role in "Joker: Folie à Deux," and the one posed on Reddit has DC fans ecstatic. In response to the prediction that Quinn could push a more docile Arthur Fleck down the Joker well, u/Kazrules expressed excitement at the idea of the former being portrayed as a straight villain, as opposed to her more anti-hero portrayal in recent years. "I'm fully on board. Harley is a villain for a reason and I hope the film explores that," they wrote. Another fan, u/Galahad_the_Ranger, seemed to agree, believing a move like this could help set Lady Gaga's version of Harley Quinn apart from Margot Robbie's. "It would be a cool way to make her more distinct from the DCEU's Harley," they wrote.
Meanwhile, u/GamingTatertot felt there was room to explore multiple plot avenues, touching on how interesting it'd be to see Harley Quinn bite off more than she can chew with the Clown Prince of Crime. "That's an interesting angle – could even play into the comic portrayal too with once Arthur is the fully-fledged Joker, he's terrifying to Harley."
It's incredible to see fans buzzing with such excitement, especially after just a single trailer dropped. Regardless of how Todd Phillips decides to handle Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship, fans are likely going to show up in droves to watch how this next chapter in DC cinematic history unfolds. "Joker: Folie à Deux" lands in theaters October 4, 2024.