2019’s Joker offered an interesting take on the iconic Batman villain’s origin story. It follows Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a party clown and comedian who struggles with his mental health and finances. Over the course of the film, Fleck descends into madness and turns into a criminal. Phoenix was praised for the role, which also earned him his first Academy Award.
Though it was originally intended as a standalone film, fans wanted to see more. Earlier in 2022, it was announced that a musical sequel called Joker: Folie à Deux was in the works, with Phoenix set to reprise his role. Though the film isn’t set to release until October 2024, fans were treated to a first glimpse early.
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A Redditor by the name of impeccabletim posted a still from the sequel to the Movies community on the site. The post quickly gained a lot of attention and reactions from fellow Reddit users.
A Sneak Peek At The Next Film
Photo Indicates Principal Photography Has Begun
Though reuploaded to Reddit, the image was first found on director Todd Philips’s Instagram account .
Even though it’s just one picture, there’s still a lot to see. The image consists of Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, stripped down and restrained against a table, with shaving cream all over his face. He stares straight ahead as an unknown man in a guard uniform prepares to shave him.
Phoenix is also visibly incredibly thin, with his ribs poking out and his chest sunken. What appears to be sores cover one of his arms.
Fans Had A Lot To Say
One user commented, “Now we know how he got these scars,” referencing Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight . In that film, the Joker would tell different stories of how he got the scars on either side of his mouth.
Worried About Phoenix’s Health
For the first Joker film, Phoenix had lost an incredible amount of weight. Now, it appears he has done so again. Commenters worry that this kind of extreme weight loss and subsequent weight gain isn’t good for the actor’s health.
Curious About How Lady Gaga Will Look
Back in June of this year, news broke that Gaga would play Dr. Harley Quinzel (who becomes Harley Quinn) in the Joker sequel. While fans appreciate the first look of Phoenix, many more are looking forward to seeing Lady Gaga on set.
The film’s release is still nearly two years away, but fans will likely learn a little bit more about it before then.
