The Joker movie by Todd Philips starring Joaquin Phoenix has taken the box office by storm, despite initial fears over the blockbuster’s violence and its supposedly creepy nature. As a result of its success, fans are calling for the duo to reunite for a sequel in what would represent a bold move from DC amid their failure to challenge the MCU for cinematic supremacy.
While the movie was a fantastic watch, however, there are also some negatives when it comes to any potential sequel. We now take a look at the both sides to the coin in the argument and explain our reasons for doing so.
Do: It’s A Good Movie
Sometimes, fans want sequels just because the first movie was so incredible. This can also be said of Joker which, through its dark and gritty tone, tells an original story of how an ordinary man named Arthur Fleck can be pushed into becoming a villain through the actions of society.
The movie is visually stunning, engrossing and feels like a throwback to another time where Martin Scorsese’s movies were unmissable. It’s arguably one of the most surprising films of the year and all of that, coupled with Joaquin Phoenix’s stellar performance, means we’d love a sequel.
Don’t: It Works As A One Off
However, while Joker is brilliant , it may be something that only works as a one off.
Think about it: much hype surrounding this film was about the fact that, historically, Batman’s biggest nemesis doesn’t have an origin story. The definitive graphic novel The Killing Joke is regarded as most people’s favorite “origin” but nothing is set in stone; something that reflects and unpredictable nature of the character. Joaquin Phoenix signed on for the role as one movie, and the fact it works so well means he may not want to risk tarnishing his reputation with another crack.
Do: End Joker Problems
Joaquin Phoenix is so good as the Clown Prince of Crime in a performance that draws parallels with the masterpiece given by Heath Ledger in 2008’s The Dark Knight. When it comes to playing the character, over the years it’s been difficult for an actor to do it more than once. Ledger tragically passed away (robbing us of the chance to see him in The Dark Knight Rises) while Jack Nicholson also only spent one movie in the role.
Jared Leto’s attempt in Suicide Squad saw him fail to do it again since and that means we’d love to see Phoenix buck the trend. With this year’s movie being an origin story, there’s certainly scope to do that.
Do: To Help DC
DC has struggled when it comes to their own cinematic universe, unlike Kevin Feige and the rest of the Marvel bigwigs in the MCU. Aquaman, Shazam! and Wonder Woman have all been good movies but the likes of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad have all flopped critically.
With Joker, however, it seems DC can do something that Marvel cannot: produce a dark and gritty movie and tell a story so deep and disturbing it’s enough to give anyone nightmares. That originality may be DC’s way of leveling the playing field and a possible Joker 2 would no doubt be another box office success.
Do: We’d Love To See Batman
While this Joker is considerably older than we’re used to seeing, particularly when compared with Bruce Wayne, the prospect of him going up against Batman would make for fascinating viewing and is reason alone for a second installment to take place.
The DCEU didn’t pit Jared Let’s Joker against Batman’s Ben Affleck during Suicide Squad (barring a split two-second sequence), meaning the appetite for an epic showdown to happen is there. Arthur Fleck was a man on top by the end of Joker and, after spending much of the movie struggling, it would be truly awesome to see him and the Bat go head to head in this murky, damaged version of Gotham.
Don’t: Batman May Not Make Sense
However, while we’d love to see Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker share the screen with Robert Pattinson’s Batman, it may not be the best thing to happen. This is because of the age gap between both Arthur Fleck and a young Bruce Wayne.
While Fleck’s age is never stated, it seems as if he’s at least 30 years older than the child who would grow up to become his enemy. This means the logistics of any battle between the two won’t make any sense. Sure, Joker may still be cunning and cruel many years down the line. But he’s unlikely to be in a fit state physically to pose Batman too many problems.
Do: For Answers
Joker is a terrific movie but, despite spending so much time and detail on fleshing out the character of Arthur Fleck, there are several unresolved issues from the movie.
We still don’t know the truth about Penny Fleck’s relationship with Thomas Wayne and whether or not the latter was really Arthur’s father and invented a story to cover his tracks. It’s unknown what happened to Zazie Beetz’s character, too, with her last seen looking terrified as Fleck made his way towards her. These are things a sequel can clear up for us if it happens.
Don’t: Most Characters Are Dead
While we still have unresolved issues with Joker, they may be some difficulties to address in a sequel due to the fact that most of the characters Arthur Fleck encountered (and had an issue with) are dead by the time the credits roll.
Talk show host Murray Franklin gets shot in the head on live TV, Randall takes a pair of scissors to the eye, and Penny Fleck is suffocated while she sleeps in a hospital bed. Additionally, fellow side character Thomas Wayne dies at the end of the movie when an unnamed man in a clown mask shoots him in Crime Alley. With so many characters dead, any sequel may have to start from scratch again. Which, when you’re already onto a winning formula, represents an issue.
Do: To See Joker Change
Let’s face it; Joker is very much an origin story. At the start of the movie (and throughout much of it) Arthur Fleck is a man continually kicked down by society and treated so appallingly you initially sympathize with him. By the end, however, he’s donning clown make-up, dancing on cars and murdering people with increasing callousness.
We still can’t really see how Arthur will be able to convince so many people to follow him adoringly in true Joker style - which is where a sequel can come in. It would be fascinating to see the Clown Prince of Crime undergo another transformation and equally interesting to see how Joaquin Phoenix would portray it.
Don’t: Boring Controversy Talk
There’s no doubt that Joker is a controversial movie, as it portrays a mentally ill villain as a hero. But the backlash to the blockbuster for its violent nature has been over the top, especially as by the end it’s made quite clear that Arthur Fleck isn’t a character you should be sympathizing or empathizing with.
Joker doesn’t have as much action as comic book movies such asAvengers: Endgame, while its bloody violence pales in comparison to both of the Deadpoolmovies. That won’t stop sensitive critics from speaking out, however, and a potential Joker 2 would no doubt lead to criticism from certain sections of the media.
