With Joker being the first R-rated film to break $1 billion at the worldwide box office, plans for a sequel are officially underway. While director Todd Phillips was initially hesitant to the idea of a direct sequel, THR reports that he and star Joaquin Phoenix plan to come back for Arthur Fleck’s second outing.
Also read: ‘Joker’ Hits The $1 Billion Milestone
Many have argued that the film doesn’t need a sequel since it serves its single purpose and provides the character’s tragic backstory. There are many questions left over about what was real and what was not; but isn’t that in the vein of that classic line from Batman: The Killing Joke?
Whether it was due to the box office success, Phillips drafting a script to convince Phoenix or something else, at the end of the day, we can now start speculating on what will happen next for Arthur.
What can we expect from ‘Joker 2’?
By the end of the first film, the character finally finds confidence and purpose in himself and this could be a great starting point for the sequel.
The timid Arthur is gone and the Joker knows who he’s meant to be now. Maybe, instead of painfully suppressing his laughter, he embraces it as he leads his followers in crime.
With him being in Arkham, they could even introduce a new Harley Quinn. And, if the Scorsese influences continue, a mafia film modelled on Goodfellas with Gothamites could be the route that Phillips takes. Time will tell.
Another villain film underway
A sequel may not be the only comic book project for Phillips, either. Part of his original pitch was that this would launch a “DC Black” franchise of dark, R-rated films based on DC characters. Apparently, he’s left his most recent meeting “with the rights to at least one more DC story.”
Joker has proven that this is a formula that can work. If they can catch the same lightning in the sequel, there could be a future for this dark franchise.
What do you want to see in the Joker sequel? Should he come face to face with Batman? What other characters do you think should get this treatment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
