The Lady Gaga 'Joker' Sequel Wasn't a Fever Dream After All

Related | Lady Gaga Will Co-Star in the 2024 Joker Sequel

Giving a toast to all the delusional lovers out there just in time for Valentine's Day, director Todd Phillips shared a first look at the forthcoming sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning film featuring Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as the titular villain and a wild-eyed Lady Gaga as his love interest. It has yet to be officially confirmed whether Lady Gaga will be playing Harley Quinn (although all signs seem to point to yes), but the still sees the two actors locked in an intense romantic embrace with Mother Monster sporting swept-back hair and a smear of red lipstick.

Last year, Gaga confirmed that she would be starring opposite Phoenix in the upcoming installment in the franchise, Joker: Folie à Deux, with a brief musical teaser set to the tune of "Cheek to Cheek" by Fred Astaire. Due to hit theaters October 4, 2024, the film is still a long way out with details far and few between, but there have been rumblings that the follow-up to the edgy award-winning villain origin story might be a musical, or at least have a heavy musical influence which sounds like a perfect fit for the A Star Is Born lead.

The movie's French title, which is a medical term for an identical or similar mental disorder that affects two or more people, does seem to suggest that Gaga and Phoenix's characters' relationship will likely revolve around their shared psychosis. Rounding out the cast, Zazie Beetz is also set to reprise her original Joker role for the sequel along with Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Harry Lawtey all signed on to the project, according to Variety.

Having earned 11 Academy Award nominations and taking home wins for Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix and Best Original Score for Hildur Guðnadóttir, the Joker sequel might just be Gaga's best chance at an acting Oscar to date. The singer has previously won an Oscar for Best Original Song for A Star Is Born's "Shallow," (she's currently up for the same award at this year too for Top Gun: Maverick’s "Hold My Hand") but missed out on Best Actress for the film and was outright snubbed for House of Gucci. Regardless of the outcome, the press tour is going to be fantastic.

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