Warning: Major SPOILERS for the ending of Joker: Folie à Deux.
The DC sequelJoker: Folie a Deuxhas been a seriously surprising struggle for both critics and audiences, with various big swings, including making the movie a musical, repelling both for different reasons. One of the most contentious parts of the movie is the ending which,MAJOR SPOILERS, sees Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck rejecting his Joker persona and being stabbed seemingly to death by another inmate, who then carves a smile into his own face and conjures memories ofHeath Ledger’s Joker inThe Dark Knight.
Unsurprisingly, these last moments inJoker 2have been hugely controversialamong fans of the comics, fans of the firstJoker, and fans of Ledger’s iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime. But, it turns out, this has been the plan all along, with director Todd Phillips having wanted to end the first movie this way…before he was stopped byThe Dark KnightdirectorChristopher Nolan. As per a report byTHR, Nolan put a stop to the idea “believing that only his Joker (Heath Ledger) should carve his face.” Of course, Nolan has now parted ways with Warner Bros. allowing Phillips to go ahead with his original plan for the sequel and thus annoy absolutely everyone.
“According to one source, the ending of the first movie’s original script featured Phoenix’s Joker carving his face in front of a crowd of his supporters. But The Dark Knight filmmaker Christopher Nolan killed that idea, believing that only his Joker (Heath Ledger) should carve his face. But Nolan is no longer at the studio, and thus there was no resistance to the idea this time around.
“He’s always trusted his gut — and it’s gotten him pretty far. He thought people would get the joke,” notes another Warners insider of Phillips.”
Todd Phillips’ Controversial Joker 2 Choices Have Resulted in Cinematic Tragedy
Written and directed by Todd Phillips,Joker: Folie À Deuxstars Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix alongside Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born), Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out, Capote), Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), Harry Lawtey (Industry), andJokerstar Zazie Beetz. The sequel picks up quickly after the first, hugely successful first outing, following Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck as he is institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.
Warner Bros. Exec Addresses Joker: Folie à Deux Failure; Is Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn a Factor?
According to Jeff Goldstein, there has been a big difference in the way the movie landed compared to expectations.
Sadly,Joker: Folie à Deuxhas now becomesomething of a cinematic tragedy. The movie has failed with both critics and audiences alike, reaching just 33% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, achievingjust a “D” grade on CinemaScore, and seriouslyfaltering at the box office.
While it’s not just the ending that has led to this reaction, it certainly won’t have helped, with many no doubt feeling that the final moments simultaneously render theJokermovies a little moot, confusingly tie them into Nolan’s acclaimed trilogy, and disrespect Heath Ledger and his Oscar-winning performance. Ultimately, it’s a bizarre decision that has wiped the smile from everyone’s face. None more so than Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix.
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.
