Although 2019’s Joker was originally conceived as a one-and-done story delivering a much different kind of origin story for Batman’s arch-nemesis, it was eventually decided to bring back Joaquin Phoenix’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime. Among the things we know about Joker 2, a.k.a. Joker: Folie à Deux, is that it will see Arthur Fleck falling in love with Lady Gaga’s Harleen Quinzel, a.k.a. Harley Quinn, after meeting each other within Arkham State Hospital. Steve Coogan is another member of the Joker 2 cast, and I’m eager to see the scene he’s teasing with Phoenix in this later addition to the 2024 movies schedule.
Coogan’s involvement in this upcoming DC movie, which is doubling as a jukebox musical, was confirmed when the first Joker 2 trailer was released in April. The actor is briefly seen saying, “Tell us what’s changed, Arthur?,” to which Phoenix’s character responds, “I’ll tell you what’s changed, I’m not alone anymore.” If you were betting on Coogan’s character being a reporter, you were right on the money, as the Tropic Thunder and Philomena alum told Deadline the following:
I’m in it. I have a very interesting scene with Joaquin Phoenix. I play of sort of a CNN-type reporter that interviews him in his cell. But beyond that, I don’t know. I’ve not seen it, so I’m as in the dark as anyone else.
The people of Gotham are quite familiar with Arthur Fleck, as not only did he kill talk show host Murray Franklin on live television, he inadvertently started a protest movement across the city prior to the murder, which shifted into rioting following Murray’s death. Although some of these rioters crashed into the police car carrying Arthur and freed him, by the end of Joker, he was shown talking to a therapist at Arkham. It was unclear at the time just how much the movie’s events had actually happened vs. him just imagining them, but if Steve Coogan is playing a reporter who’s been sent to interview Arthur, that would indicate it was the former.
Beyond that, I’m curious to see just what Arthur Fleck has done to in Joker 2 to lead Coogan’s character to interview him within Arkham’s walls. It must be a pretty big deal if it’s getting attention on the outside, yet Arthur hasn’t broken free from the mental hospital. Perhaps more importantly, yet understandably, I’m concerned about the welfare of this reporter. Will he be fortunate enough to make it out of this interview unscathed, or will Arthur claim him as another victim?
Other actors appearing in Joker 2 include Zazie Beetz, Sharon Washington, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Ken Leung and Harry Lawtey. Todd Phillips returned to direct the sequel and co-write the script with Todd Phillips. The movie opens in theaters on October 4.