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Although Todd Phillips confirmed that he had no plans to make Joker 3, he essentially said the same thing back in 2019 when Joker was released, admitting that a sequel wouldn’t happen. But it did happen, and it was a total failure.
With a budget of $200 million, Joker: Folie A Deux could have done better at the box office. Given the musical theme blended with a psychological thriller and how Arthur Fleck’s story concludes, it is doubtful that Joker 3 will happen. But even without Phillips at the helm, if the box office numbers call for more and the right concept emerges, who knows what could happen? As Phillips mentioned, he couldn’t give a definitive yes or no, though he has ruled himself out of participating.
But should Joker 3 happen? It should not occur, primarily because Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck story has already reached its conclusion. Moreover, in the 2019 Joker, Arthur’s descent into madness was left open-ended, creating a powerful and ambiguous ending. However, Joker: Folie A Deux abruptly sealed its fate by having him killed by an inmate at Arkham Asylum. This ended his journey and brought closure to his broken-man arc in Gotham City. Continuing beyond this would be absolute madness, and it would diminish the impact of his tragic fall, feeling like a forced extension of a story that’s already over.
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Furthermore, Joker 3 leaves some mysteries about Arthur’s love interest, Lady Gaga‘s Lee, as her arc doesn’t justify another installment. Her portrayal as a suicidal woman infatuated with Arthur’s Joker persona—who may not even have been a natural person in his life—lacks the depth needed to drive another film. The fact that their relationship was likely a delusion of Arthur’s undermines the potential for further exploration of their dynamic.
Since the inclusion of Gaga’s Harley Quinn as a toxic, Joker-obsessed figure felt flat—unlike Margot Robbie’s portrayal, which gave Harley a well-rounded background and motivations—this version of the character is one-dimensional. This portrayal does not have enough depth to warrant more screen time. Even the idea of Joker’s followers causing chaos in Gotham after Arthur’s death may sound like an exciting plotline for Joker 3; still, it would be better if DC explored other supervillains. The Joker, as a cultural symbol, has been handled expertly by iconic actors like Phoenix, Heath Ledger, and Jack Nicholson, each leaving a footprint in their character portrayal.
Finally, Joker: Folie A Deux’s poor box office performance indicates that audiences might be interested in less. While they were expecting so much from Joker 2, it was a significant disappointment. Thus, extending a saga that has already peaked could diminish the Joker’s legacy.
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