Hyderabad: Joker: Folie à Deux, the much-awaited sequel to the 2019 musical psychological thriller Joker, has finally hit Indian theatres on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, 2024. Directed by Todd Phillips, the film opened with a decent Rs 5 crore at the Indian box office. Before you head to the theatres, here are some intriguing facts about the movie that will enhance your viewing experience.
The title Folie à Deux, which translates to 'madness shared by two', is key to understanding the film's central theme. This French medical term refers to a rare psychological condition where two or more people share the same delusion or mental illness. In the context of the film, Arthur Fleck or Joker (played by Joaquin Phoenix), and his girlfriend Harley Quinn (portrayed by Lady Gaga), both suffer from this condition. Together, the pair dives into a musical world of love and chaos, creating havoc as their distorted reality blurs the line between fantasy and destruction.
Building on the immense success of the first film Joker, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide, Warner Bros quickly decided to greenlight a sequel. Work on Joker: Folie à Deux began in 2022, but production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming eventually took place from December 2022 to April 2023, and the movie finally made its debut at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2024.
This time around, Joker 2 has brought in some fresh faces to the cast, including Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener. Gaga takes on the role of Harley Quinn, a character previously portrayed by Margot Robbie in the Suicide Squad franchise. Fans are eager to see how Gaga adds her own twist to the beloved character, especially since Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical psychological thriller - an unusual yet intriguing blend of genres. Cover songs of several famous hits are woven into the storyline, with a score by Academy Award-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, who returns after her brilliant work on the first film.
If you enjoyed Phoenix's Oscar-winning portrayal of Joker in 2019, you're in for a treat. The actor, who earned the Academy Award for Best Actor for his transformative performance, continues to bring depth and complexity to Arthur Fleck. In Joker, Phoenix's portrayal captivated audiences and critics, with the film receiving 11 Oscar nominations and setting a new standard for comic book adaptations.
While Joker 2 has opened to a decent number in India, it's going to face tough competition in the coming weeks, with big releases like Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan, Alia Bhatt's Jigra, and Rajkumar Rao-Triptii Dimri’s rom-com Vicky Vidya Ko Wo Wala Video set to hit theatres.
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