Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn Looks As Crazed As The Joker

It’s official! Lady Gaga is starring in Joker: Folie á Deux, the sequel to Joker. Gaga confirmed previous rumors that she’d play Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix by posting a brief teaser for the film on her Twitter back in June 2022. In the early sneak peek, Gaga’s silhouette is lit by a red backdrop while she and Phoenix sway to the tune of Louis Armstrong’s “Cheek to Cheek.”

Phoenix won an Oscar for his portrayal of the tortured character in 2020, and will reprise his role in the sequel. And it appears Gaga is also pulling out all the stops for her portrayal of Harley Quinn. On Feb. 15, 2023, the singer shared a visceral first-look at her role in the film, a photo of her Quinn and Phoenix’s Joker staring into each others’ crazed eyes.

Todd Philips is directing Joker: Folie á Deux. He previously worked with Gaga as the producer of A Star Is Born. The upcoming sequel will hit theaters on October 4, 2024. Most of the details about the film, including the production schedule and plot, are still under wraps. However, the movie’s title might be a harbinger of what’s to come. “Folie á Deux” roughly translates to “shared madness.” Perhaps that’s a hint that the sequel will dive further into Joker and Quinn’s twisted origin story.

The original comics may also offer a clue: in the series, the two villains meet at the Arkham Asylum. Joker is a resident at the mental institution and Quinn is his psychiatrist, who falls in love with him and becomes his partner in crime. Though their relationship is tumultuous — to say the least — Quinn is one of Joker’s only true companions.

As of right now, it’s unclear if the sequel will directly follow the comic or if Phillips will take some creative liberties. His 2019 adaptation included new characters that were created specifically for the film. Joker: Folie á Deux is rumored to be musical, so Gaga may be joined by other talented singers to round the story out.

Phillips has remained relatively quiet about the project, but he did post a photo of the manuscript on his Instagram account. It may take a while for us to see his vision come to life, but if the deep-red cover is any indication, Joker: Folie á Deux will be just as moody as the original.