Lady Gaga in talks to play Harley Quinn in the Joker sequel. Oh, and it’s a musical! This report comes from THR folks, so it’s not some made up nonsense. Rumors started to build over the last week since the Joker sequel’s title, Joker: Folie à deux was announced. Although pictured reading said script, THR says Joaquin Phoenix hasn’t yet signed on for the movie, but talks are ongoing, and expected to conclude.
Lady Gaga is in early talks to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in director Todd Phillips’ sequel to Joker, the 2019 Oscar-winning, $1 billion Warner Bros. hit based on the DC character.
Details on her character are being kept under wraps, but Joker is known for his on-off abusive relationship with Harley Quinn, his psychiatrist at the mental institution known as Arkham Asylum who falls in love with him and becomes his sidekick and partner in crime. It is unclear whether Phillips and company are using other DC characters or striking on their own, as they did in many instances with their first movie.
If a deal makes, Gaga would play Quinn. However, this new Quinn exists in a different DC universe than the Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, which most recently appeared in 2021’s The Suicide Squad as well as several other films.
But wait, that’s not all: Sources say the sequel is also a musical.
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As for Phoenix?
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Warners has yet to close a deal with the actor, with the two sides deep into it.
So if all goes to plan, it’s Phoenix and Gaga playing Joker and Harley in a musical Joker sequel. If I read that several years ago I would have laughed and figured WB/D had finally lost it. However, Joker was remarkably successful for a lower budget R-rated movie. Joker also ended up with 11 Oscar nominations, winning best actor for Phoenix.
I guess what I’m saying is, with Phillips in charge, this might actually be something special? Though, I will need to see it to believe it for now. I just can’t get the concept in my head currently.
What are your thoughts as Gaga in talks to play Harley Quinn in the musical Joker sequel? It’s June 14th, not April 1st, so feel free to discuss in the comments below, or over on Discord.