Todd Phillips is going for something much more ambitious than originally perceived with his sequel to “Joker.”
Honestly, at this point, I already was against this sequel being made, so the news that Lady Gaga might be starring in the film and that it’s a … musical? Well, that definitely raises my interest.
The best thing Phillips can do is make a completely different movie than the first one. That way it’ll separate both films as entirely different entities. I don’t think having Gaga as a singing Harley Quinn is such a terrible idea, might as well go for full-on WEIRD with this one.
Margot Robbie played Quinn a few years ago, but replacing her with Gaga means the sequel is going for a totally different mood. A person connected to the Warner inner circle told me last night that he’s hearing the “Joker 2: Joie de Vivre” screenplay has shades of Leos Carax’s “Holy Motors.” Yes, please.
Again, throw the blueprint out of the door and make something singular, unique, that’s what Phillips/Phoenix/Gaga should be aiming for here. You don’t think Phillips wants to go back to Venice? “Joker” won the Golden Lion there, the sequel making it into competition would be something.