We just heard news that Joker 2 was in production. Additionally, director, Todd Phillips, was given the keys to the kingdom. Warner Bros were to let him develop other gritty movies about DC villains. However, as the day progressed, we learned that these were just rumors. Warner Bros evidently did not have a meeting with the filmmaker. Joker 2 was not greenlit. And I guess there are no plans for him to develop other villain movies. Phillips has now broken his silence to clarify what actually happened.
When Phillips heard the news, IndieWire reached out to him to get his confirmation on the matter.
“I can honestly say to you there was no meeting that ever happened on October 7 where I marched in. First of all, if you know me and my career, that’s not my style. I made a huge comedy at Warner Bros., ‘The Hangover,’ and I didn’t suddenly become a comedy factory producer, like, oh, let’s just churn out movies. Bradley [Cooper] and I have a production company at Warners. I’ve been at Warners for 15, 16 years. We have two things in development at all times, not 40 things like some people. I’m not the kind of guy who goes marching in saying ‘I want these 40 titles.’ I just don’t have the energy.”
Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, proved quite the success for Warner Bros. Therefore, Phillips revised his contract for the film. And reportedly, he will make close to 100 million dollars from the project. The film alone is close to making a billion. Usually, in Hollywood, this means that plans will move forward to develop a sequel. Phoenix has even expressed his desire to reprise his role. However, despite the rumors, and according to Phillips, there are no plans for Joker 2 as of yet.
“Here’s the real truth about a sequel. While Joaquin and I have talked about it, and while touring the world with Warner Bros executives — going to Toronto, and Venice, and other places — of course, we’re sitting at dinner and they’re saying, ‘So, have you thought about…?’ But, talking about contracts, there’s not a contract for us to even write a sequel, we’ve never approached Joaquin to be in a sequel. Will that happen? Again, I just think the article was anticipatory at best.”
Joker served as a great one-shot origin story for the villain. But underneath it all, Phillips just wanted to create a story about a man named Arthur Fleck. This was to showcase how mental illnesses and the people around those with them can affect a person. Some chose to rise above it. Fleck chose to do the opposite. A sequel could pick Fleck’s story up from his incarceration in Arkham Asylum. Though, he could have been there all along. The film itself seemed like one big hallucination. Phillips previously discussed the ambiguity of the film.
What do you think of this news? Are you disappointed there won’t be a Joker 2 after all? Furthermore, are you disappointed that there won’t be a Phillips-led DC Black Label cinematic universe? Perhaps you’re glad that Joker will remain a standalone film. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!