Joker 2’s Abandoned Original Plan Would Have Saved It From So Much Criticism

The initial unused plan for Joker: Foile á Deux looks like it could have saved the movie from a good chunk of the criticism the DC release is now receiving. Despite being the sequel to the massively critically and commercially successful 2019 Joker movie, the sequel hasn't enjoyed the same reputation, with Joker: Folie á Deux's box office results being far lower, and the film's reception being far more divisive. Given the drastic difference between the reactions towards the two releases, conversations have naturally shifted to exploring why the sequel hasn't replicated the success of the original installment.

One thing that has arguably been overlooked in many of these conversations is the matter of the history of Joker: Foile á Deux's inception. A sequel movie appearing in theaters after a successful initial release is the norm for the superhero genre, but the second Joker movie's story isn't one simply born out of financial success. In fact, the original plan for Joker: Foile á Deux was majorly different to the release that audiences eventually received, and this initial concept could've helped avoid some of the movie's biggest problems.

Joker 2 Was Initially Considered As A Broadway Musical

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While the initial Joker was planned without a Joker 2 or Joker 3 movie in mind, discussions quickly emerged about a prospective follow-up release - seemingly partially because of lead actor Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips' connection to the project and its world, and partially because the immense success of the original movie meant there was ample room for further expansion. However, the initial talks about a sequel were first based around it being a Broadway musical instead of its actual final form.

2:48 Related Joker: Folie A Deux Ending & Real Meaning Explained Joker: Folie à Deux takes a wildly different direction than Todd Phillips' first DC movie suggested, completely deconstructing Arthur Fleck's story.

These talks were, ultimately, short-lived. In an interview with Variety, Phillips explained, "When we started really thinking about it, we realized it takes four years to put something like that together. And is Joaquin really going to give six months of his life to do that every night onstage?" The director mentioned that the prospect of downsizing was considered for this project, "but COVID hit." From this, Joker: Foile á Deux as audiences now know it emerged - but it seems the original plan for the release could have circumvented at least some of the major complaints viewers have had regarding the sequel.

Joker 2 Being A Broadway Musical Could Have Avoided Some Of The Movie's Complaints

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A lot of the core complaints about Joker: Foile á Deux center upon the expectations audiences had for the movie based on both the original release and the nature of the superhero movie genre in general. This would have seen some upheaval had the sequel committed to being a Broadway musical, as this major change would have underlined as much as possible that the story was set to be very different to the original, and that the aspects viewers enjoyed about the first film may thus not carry over to the new story in its new format due to some of the inherent differences between them.

Crucially, aspects like the core musical nature of Joker: Foile á Deux thus may have been less criticized with this approach in mind. Similarly, the decision to subvert expectations at several points in the story may have also been received differently, since the sequel would have already done so before viewers even saw it via becoming a Broadway musical in the first place. While this couldn't have ensured the issues cited with Joker: Foile á Deux didn't emerge there also, it's interesting to note that this plan could have arguably been a less controversial approach in several ways.

Your Rating 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review 54 5.1/10 Joker: Folie a Deux Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to Todd Phillips' critically acclaimed comic book thriller Joker. Reprising his Academy Award-winning performance as the failed comedian Arthur Fleck, Joaquin Phoenix revisits the iconic DC character alongside Lady Gaga, who makes her debut as Joker's lover Harley Quinn in this standalone continuity of the DC Universe. Release Date October 4, 2024

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