Lady Gaga in Talks to Join Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker’ Sequel

Lady Gaga is in early talks to star as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the upcoming sequel to Joker, according The Hollywood Reporter. Director Todd Phillips recently confirmed on social media he had a working script for Joker: Folie à Deux, a follow-up to the 2019 film that is reported to be a musical.

Per sources who spoke with THR, Gaga’s role is being kept under wraps, but it is presumed to be Harley Quinn, the Joker’s on-again-off-again lover, who is currently played by Margot Robbie in the DC universe. This new Quinn would apparently exist in a different version of the universe than Robbie’s character, who most recently appeared in 2021’s The Suicide Squad.

Joker, released in 2019, took a very dark variation on the Batman villain. The film became the No. 4 highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, and earned 11 Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture. Phoenix also earned the statue for Best Actor for his unhinged performance.

Phillips co-wrote the screenplay for Joker: Folie à Deux with Scott Silver. The director also notably produced 2018’s A Star Is Born, which starred Gaga alongside Joker producer Bradley Cooper.

Most recently, Gaga appeared as Patrizia Reggiani in Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, out last year. Earlier this summer she contributed a new song, “Hold My Hand,” to Top Gun: Maverick. Star Tom Cruise confirmed that Gaga’s song was “heartbeat of our film” during an appearance on The Late Late Show.

From Rolling Stone US.