Summary
- Joker: Folie à Deux will struggle to ignore Batman, as it introduces more characters from Batman's universe like Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn, and has Arthur Fleck more actively become Joker.
- The sequel faces a challenge in incorporating Batman due to the timeline and potential oversaturation of the hero in the DC Universe.
- Joker: Folie à Deux may overcome its Batman issue by exploring Arthur Fleck's unreliable perspective via hallucinations of Bruce Wayne that could feature Batman.
With new characters revealed for Joker: Folie à Deux, Todd Phillips' 2024 sequel will find it very difficult to keep ignoring Batman. 2019's Joker introduced audiences to a darker, grittier, and arguably more realistic version of the DC Universe, set outside the franchise's main continuity and debuting a more realistic and troubled version of the titular villain. Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. the Joker, earned him critical acclaim, making his return to the Joker: Folie à Deux cast incredibly exciting, and he has been confirmed to be joined by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
Joker was set in 1981, introducing a new take on the origin story of one of DC Comics' most iconic and recognizable villains. Joker saw Arthur Fleck become the titular villain years before Bruce Wayne would find his calling as Batman, with film even showing Arthur interact with a young Bruce Wayne and featuring the deaths of Bruce's parents. Assuming Joker: Folie à Deux picks up soon after the Joker ending, Gotham City would still be without its Batman, but this could pose a problem for the upcoming DC Elseworlds project, as more Batman-related characters are expected to be introduced.