Before it’s release Warner Bros. was pretty wary of Joker‘s commercial viability and decided to split production costs/profits with co-financiers. Despite the lack of faith, when it debuted in early October Joker rode its polarizing word-of-mouth to an outstanding success, breaking records left and right as it made its way to the $1 billion mark. Because of that, star Joaquin Phoenix will officially be returning in a Joker sequel.
Both Phoenix and director Todd Phillips said publicly that they would be open to making a sequel should the right idea come to mind and Warner Bros. is more than happy to let the two continue. According to Deadline, as of now there are no deals set with either Phillips or Scott Silver, co-writer of the Joker screenplay, to return for a Joker sequel, nor has Warner Bros. begun negotiations with them.
What set Joker apart from other comic book adaptations though is the fact that it was conceived as a one-and-done. Focusing squarely on Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness, although still drawing from the Batman mythos, Joker was not preoccupied with laying the groundwork for future installments.
Thanks to its small budget, Joker is now the most profitable comic book movie ever made. With that in mind, it isn’t surprising that Warner Bros. is on board with moving forward with a followup, looking to capitalize on the overwhelming response. Right now, it’s unknown when Joker 2 will begin production or see release, but the odds are that Warner Bros will want to get started very soon.
Be sure to check back for more updates.
