Official: "Joker" gets a sequel

The most successful FSK-18 film in the world to date is getting a sequel: "Joker". Director Todd Phillips confirms this via his own Instagram channel. Yesterday, he posted a picture with Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix reading the script for the sequel. Its title: "Joker: Folie à Deux."

An allusion to Joker's comic book love interest Harley Quinn?

Success between drama and polemics

Whether the film would even get a sequel was up in the air for a long time. After all, "Joker" is no ordinary comic book adaptation, where a sequel is a mere formality if the film is successful enough. Rather, "Joker" is a dark character study that does entirely without superheroes in capes. The focus is therefore not on a hero with superhuman powers, but on Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who is actually good-natured but has been shaken by society and is seriously mentally ill.

In 2019, upon its theatrical release, "Joker" divided opinion. For some, it was too violent. Too pseudo-intellectual. Too over-the-top. For others, it was the highlight of the cinema year. In Switzerland, 493,423 people saw it. Worldwide, it grossed over a billion dollars. Director Todd Phillips was honored with the Golden Lion for Best Film in Venice. Actor Joaquin Phoenix received the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Los Angeles. The film had struck a nerve.

It is still unclear when the sequel will hit theaters. But once filming has begun, we can expect about a year's wait.