Lady Gaga’s eagerly awaited debut as Harley Quinn alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s return as his Oscar-winning Joker is showcased in the first trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” which dropped on Tuesday.
The teaser kicks off with Phoenix’s Joker, Arthur Fleck, restrained and expressionless, being escorted through what appears to be a facility. In a poignant moment, his eyes meet those of Gaga’s Quinn, who stands in what looks like a choir room.
“I’m nobody,” Quinn later utters, mimicking a gun to her head as she speaks to Fleck. “I haven’t accomplished anything like you have.”
The trailer then unfurls with glimpses of the duo, infamously entangled in love, strolling through the streets, dodging explosions, fleeing from mobs, and exchanging kisses through Fleck’s jail cell bars. All of this is set against a haunting rendition of the classic tune “What the World Needs Now is Love.”
“I’ll tell you what’s changed,” Fleck asserts at one point. “I’m not alone anymore.”
In the lore of DC comics, the relationship between Joker and Harley Quinn has often been depicted as one of twisted love, with Quinn initially introduced as the villain’s therapist at Arkham Asylum.
While director Todd Phillips’ treatment of these iconic characters remains shrouded in secrecy, his previous portrayal of the Joker in the critically acclaimed 2019 film suggests that “Folie” will offer a fresh interpretation of the established comic narrative.
In addition to Phoenix and Gaga, “Folie” also features performances from Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Zazie Beetz, who portrays Fleck’s neighbor Sophie.
Following the immense success of “Joker,” which earned Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor, “Joker: Folie à Deux” is scheduled to premiere in theaters on October 4th.
