For the first time since its announcement Joker 2 Director Todd Phillips discussed whether the upcoming movie will be a musical.
DC Elseworlds Joker 2 movie (official title Joker: Folie à Deux) was announced in early 2022, and soon after, fans learned that pop star Lady Gaga would be taking on the role of Harley Quinn and that the film would include musical elements.
This decision caused many Joker fans are divided, with some welcoming the idea and others believing it would take away from the gritty nature of its 2019 predecessor.
Will Joker 2 become a musical?
On the second day of CinemaCon (held on April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada) Joker 2 director Todd Phillips officially answered the burning question regarding the upcoming film’s genre, specifically how much of a musical it will be.
As shared Brandon Davis Via X (formerly Twitter), Phillips announced that he and the rest of the crew “I never talked about it” is a full musical, but it “music is an essential element.”
However, the manager admitted that the tone Joker 2 No “too far from the first movie” showing that it is not a light-hearted musical in the traditional sense:
“We’ve never talked about it like that, but it’s a film where music is an essential element, and I don’t think it’s too far off from the first film.”
Phillips also talked about how the musical elements make sense for Arthur’s character, specifically saying that “he has music in him:”
“Yeah, Arthur’s weird and aloof…but he’s got music in him.”
However, it’s important to note that Variety reports that the film will include about 15 covers of popular songs from the past few years, meaning it has a lot more music than most movies.
The report also suggested that Joker 2 take the role of a “jukebox musical”, meaning it focuses more on those songs than the actual score.
However, the composer Hildur Guðnadóttir still plays a significant role in the film. It is said that he implements his elements into the featured songs, making it less traditional than other musicals.
It’s also important to mention that these insiders said so Joker 2 will “break the mold of traditional musicals” further proves what Phillips said.
Does it make sense that Joker 2 is a musical?
As Phillips mentioned, Arthur Fleck does “(there is) music in him.” This was evident throughout the first film when Arthur danced several times. Even though the music wasn’t actually playing, it seemed like he heard it in his mind Joker 2 could paint it as if the audience was in Arthur’s mind.
Although Joker 2 is not a traditional musical, it ultimately makes sense for the film to embrace the musical genre.
Many fans concerned about the musical elements will likely expect it to appear as a classic Disney film or something The Greatest Showmanbut because of Phillips’ comments, it won’t work.
First Joker the movie was very serious and dark, and that’s totally possible Joker 2 could be even darker, in which case these musical elements are necessary to balance its tone.
When a movie strays too far in one direction, especially on the dark side, it can be difficult for audiences to sit through.
For example, Suicide Squad contained many very dark and violent scenes, but its comedy balanced the film and made it an easy watch for most viewers.
Joker 2 is likely to be the same, and its musical elements allow audiences to bounce back from dark moments, ultimately making the film more palatable.
Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4.
Read more about the topic Joker 2:
Joker 2 Cast: DC announces 12 main actors for the sequel
Joker 2: First Look at Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn on Iconic Stairs (Comics)
Joker 2: First Look at Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn Costume (Comics)
