Joaquin Phoenix Agreed To Return As Arthur Fleck For Joker 2 Under One Condition

One of the most anticipated movies of the fall season is unquestionably "Joker: Folie a Deux." The film serves as a sequel to 2019's "Joker," which became the first R-rated movie in history to cross $1 billion at the box office. It also earned Phoenix an Oscar for Best Actor. That being the case, fans are eager to see Joaquin Phoenix return as the Clown Prince of Crime once more in director Todd Phillips' follow-up. The fact that Lady Gaga is also on board to play a brand new version of Harley Quinn only adds to the intrigue. However, it wasn't a guarantee that Phoenix was going to sign on for a sequel, despite the original's success. Getting the Oscar-winner back came with one major condition.

Speaking with Empire, Phoenix and Phillips discussed the sequel, which is due to hit theaters in October. For Phoenix, he was only willing to come back under the condition that they didn't do something that merely felt safe. "It's the only way that I can do any movie," Phoenix said. "If it doesn't feel like it's dangerous, if there's not a good chance that you're gonna fail spectacularly then ... what's the point?" Phillips also touched on that thread, saying the following:

"That was literally the reason to do it. The only reason Joaquin would even do a sequel is if it felt frightening to him. One thing he really got off on on the first movie was this fear, every day, this nauseous fear of like, 'What are we f***ing doing?' He did not want it to be easy. And he wanted to feel as scared on this one. He goes, 'Well, if I'm gonna do it, I just want to feel that it could not work.'"

The trailers have made it clear that "Joker: Folie a Deux" is anything but safe. It not only looks bigger and bolder than the original, but it's also going to be a musical, which is far from obvious.

For what it's worth, Phoenix was hesitant to sign onto the first "Joker" before Phillips convinced him to do it. One could argue that was easily one of the best decisions of his entire career, given how successful it turned out. Be that as it may, it's easy to imagine an actor of his caliber having some hesitation to play the character once again. Was it just lightning in a bottle? Could they pull it off again?

The first film remains divisive, that much is true, but "Joker" was an undeniable hit just about any way one wishes to slice it. It would have been very easy for Warner Bros. and DC to want Phoenix and Phillips to just do a more traditional sequel. Speaking to that, Phillips explained that his new movie, while absolutely a sequel, is entirely different from its predecessor.

"I don't think of it as a sequel. Hangover 2 was a sequel. So often a sequel is more of the same, just bigger. Of course [Folie À Deux] is a sequel, but it felt like we were making something entirely different. It's tonally and inherently something way more different. The first one subverted the expectations of what it was. So how do you do that again?"

"I always said, early on, the film should feel as if it was made by crazy people," Phillips added. "Like the inmates are running the asylum. It does feel like a big swing. You just go, 'Well, f*** it. Why not? What are we all doing here, if not to do that?'"

"Joker: Folie a Deux" hits theaters on October 4, 2024.