Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips reveals the first look at Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. While the DCEU is coming to an end while the DC Universe is on the rise, Warner Bros. Discovery is still focusing on their Elseworlds properties. Taking place outside the main DC film continuity, the Joker franchise is going forward with a sequel currently in the works. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular DC foe, Joker: Folie à Deux will continue exploring the life of Arthur Fleck. Joker director Phillips is back for the second installment that will hit theaters in 2024. Filming officially began in December 2022 and is expected to run for a few more months.
One of the most anticipated elements of Joker: Folie à Deux is the introduction of Harley Quinn, with Lady Gaga starring as the iconic villainess.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Phillips shared a first look at Gaga as Harley from Joker: Folie à Deux. The photo sees her being confronted by Phoenix’s Joker, presumably somewhere in Arkham Asylum.
How Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn Will Differ From Margot Robbie’s Version
With Gaga’s Harley being an Elseworlds take on the DC icon, there will obviously be comparisons to Margot Robbie’s iteration of her in the DCEU. Warner Bros. Pictures has thus far kept a lot of story details under wraps, especially with Gaga’s Harley. Unlike the first film, Joker: Folie à Deux will be a musical, psychological adventure. The popular theory is that the title Joker: Folie à Deux, which relates to a mental disorder, will serve as the cause of the musical setting. Based on the title’s translation, it is possible the movie will be heavily from Harley’s POV.
Given the time period that the Joker franchise is set in, Gaga’s Harley will obviously be far more removed from the fantastical elements that Robbie’s version had in the DCEU. This will be an incarnation of Harley that has never had any history with the Suicide Squad or the Birds of Prey. With Batman also not being around in this universe, this particular Harley and Joker story will be significantly different, especially in terms of how they come together.
With the DC Universe being created as a new main continuity, Joker: Folie à Deux shows why Elseworlds projects will still be something to look forward to. This will be the first comic book movie to ever do a musical setting. As principal photography gets further in, more will be revealed about Gaga’s version of Harley. However, based on what is already known about her in Joker: Folie à Deux, audiences will have a lot to look forward to with this new interpretation of Harley.
Source: Todd Phillips/Instagram