'Joker' Sequel Rumors Clarified By Director Todd Phillips: "Here's The Real Truth About A Sequel"

Yesterday brought news that Joker director Todd Phillips was cooking up a sequel to the R-rated DC Comics movie that recently crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. On top of that, Phillips was said to be working on another villain origin story in the vein of Joker. But throughout the day, there were conflicting reports about whether or not any meeting between Todd Phillips and Warner Bros. studio chairman Toby Emmerich took place for either of these projects. Thankfully, Todd Phillips himself has set the record straight.

Speaking with IndieWire, Todd Phillips says there was no meeting that took place on October 7 to discuss a Joker sequel and other DC Comics villain films. The director said:

"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."

It sounds like this chatter about other DC Comics movies from Todd Phillips may have come from previous reports about the director pitching an entire label of movies branded "DC Dark" or "DC Black," which would create a whole series more adult-oriented comic book movies. Warner Bros. didn't want to be quite so ambitious out of the gate and turned it down. However, they still like the Joker pitch enough to get that off the ground, and the rest is history. There have been no renewed discussions about such an endeavor from Phillips at Warner Bros.

So now that the movie has made over $1 billion globally, surely there has been discussion of a sequel, right? Phillips confirms a sequel has at least been discussed among the top brass, but there are currently no deals in place for one to definitively happen, and there's no script that is in development. As of now, it's as simple of a concept as, "Hey, let's talk about a sequel to Joker." Phillips clarified:

"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."

So there you have it. While a Joker sequel might be in the cards, it's not locked in at Warner Bros. Pictures just yet. But considering that box office success, you know they're going to be meeting with Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix very soon to figure those details out.