News about Joker: Folie à Deux isn't leaving fans with hope

You can say what you want about Joker but its success can’t denied. Until Deadpool and Wolverine, it was the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. It also had award wins and nominations including the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture – Drama. A sequel is just good business. Later, Harley Quinn was announced to be in it and Lady Gaga would play her. It seemed like there was no way it wouldn’t be well received. That was until Todd Phillips started revealing more about the project.

Is it still Harley Quinn

First, let’s start with Harley Quinn. I’m happy that Lady Gaga was cast. It’s an unpopular opinion, but she’s shown good acting range in her projects. There’s no reason to think it would be different in Joker: Folie à Deux. And Arthur Fleck is an older Joker who'd need a Harley close to his age. The problem comes with Todd Phillips' interpretation of Harleen Quinzel.

“We wanted her (Harley Quinn) to fit into this world of Gotham that we created from the first movie.” _Todd Phillips

During an interview with Variety, Phillips said, “The high voice, that accent, the gum-chewing and all that sort of sassy stuff that’s in the comics, we stripped that away,” He continued saying, "We wanted her to fit into this world of Gotham that we created from the first movie."

Yes, this is an Elseworld project. That means continuity isn’t guaranteed since this is an alternate reality. But, if you strip the things that make her Harley Quinn, then she isn’t Harley Quinn. It looks like her name was taken as well. She's Harleen “Lee” Quinzel. This is just more proof that this isn't Harley Quinn.

These are the kinds of things that could become a problem. Studios who own the licenses for characters will use the names and ruin the characters. Imagine if a Deadpool movie was made and they turned the project into a drama (something writer Duane Swierczynski made fun of in X-Men Origins: Deadpool). It was bad enough when he didn’t have a mouth in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Joker the musical

I’m a fan of musicals. A song can turn a bad scene and make it great. For example, there’s Across the Universe. The remixed Beetles’ songs perfectly set the tone for the scene.

I won’t say making Joker: Folie à Deux is a bad idea. Joaquin Phoenix is a top-notch performer and Lady Gaga’s vocals speak for themselves. However, Todd Phillips says this won’t be a typical musical like In the Heights. Instead, their songs will sound “nerve-racking.”

“It’s just Arthur not having the words to say what he wants to say, so he sings them instead.” -Todd Phillips

Before reading this article, a Joker musical was an awful idea. No one wants to see Joker and Harley Quinn…Lee breaks into a dance routine in the middle of the film. Knowing now that these moments will look deranged makes it better. This is something an Elseworld Joker would do. People may not like it but should wait to see it before judging.

I should make something clear before this article concludes. The internet isn’t a real place. The things people say aren’t always true and sometimes critics are wrong. The Marvels being review bombed caused people to not see it in theaters. When it debuted on Disney Plus, people regretted not seeing it in theaters. However, it’s a good measuring stick for how people feel. So far, people don’t like the news about Joker: Folie à Deux. Granted, that can change as things continue.

Stay tuned Caped Crusades for more news on Joker 2 when it comes out.