The cast of Joker 2 has gained another star as legendary actress Catherine Keener is set to join the film. The Academy Award nominee will appear alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in an undisclosed role. Brendan Gleeson and Zazie Beetz have also signed on for the project, Deadline reports. The movie, which is slated for release on October 4, 2024, is expected to begin production this December. Warner Bros had no comment on the 63-year-old's casting.
While most details about Joker 2 are being kept firmly under wraps, Todd Phillips is returning to direct from a script he co-wrote with Scott Silver. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter says the story will have a musical element and will be set in Arkham Asylum. The director also revealed the official title of the movie on social media - Joker: Folie à Deux. The name references a medical term for an identical or similar mental disorder that affects two or more individuals who are usually members of the same family.
The Joker 2 announcement came as a surprise since its predecessor was supposed to be a standalone film. But after critical and commercial success Phillips began hinting at follow-ups. At the time, Warner Bros also intended for it to launch a new franchise called DC Black, which would include comics-based movies unrelated to the larger DC Extended Universe. Like the original Joaquin Phoenix starrer, the movies were supposed to deal with darker and more experimental material.
But in 2020, the studio reportedly offered the actor a ton of money to reprise his role as Arthur Fleck in Joker 2. Directed by Todd Phillips, 2019's Joker followed the origin story of Batman's most famous arch-villain. Set in 1981, Arthur Fleck is seen as a failed clown and aspiring stand-up comedian whose descent into insanity inspires a violent countercultural revolution against the wealthy in a broken Gotham City. Joaquin Phoenix earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, with the film receiving 11 nominations overall.
Moreover, Joker became the first R-rated movie to make more than $1 billion worldwide. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it followed in the footsteps of 2018's Aquaman ($1.15 billion), 2012's The Dark Knight Rises ($1.08 billion), and 2008's The Dark Knight ($1 billion). But its $60 million budget was far less than those films. So the studio probably knew it would generate profits of more than $500 million. With a stellar cast and the creative minds from the original all attached to Joker 2, the sequel is sure to be another box office hit for Warner Bros.
Meanwhile, before her Joker 2 casting, Catherine Keener recently starred in Shawn Levy's The Adam Project opposite Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo. She also appeared in a one-season arc of Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion's Netflix series Brand New Cherry Flavor. Additionally, the actress co-starred in Showtime's Kidding opposite Jim Carrey, which ran for two seasons. Her other credits include the Amazon series Modern Love, and the indie project No Future opposite Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton.
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