A new rumor claims a Joker sequel is in development with director Todd Phillips on board to co-write.
This new rumor comes from The Hollywood Reporter’s feature counting down the top Hollywood lawyers.
In their slot on Warren Dern, they claim, “Todd Phillips struck a deal to co-write the next Joker installment.”
They do not provide any other details.
This rumor follows up on another one from The Hollywood Reporter, where writers Tatiana Siegel and Borys Kit included a small line in an article about Warner Bros. upcoming Superman film from producer J.J. Abrams.
They wrote, “So far, every movie and TV show, with the exception of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson and set for release in March, HBO Max’s spinoff Gotham PD, and Joker and its planned sequel, will take place in the same universe.”
However, The Hollywood Reporter previously claimed a Joker sequel was in development back in 2019 only to be rebuked by director Todd Phillips.
Back in November 2019, The Hollywood Reporter ran a story by Tatiana Siegel with a headline proclaiming, “Joker sequel in the works as Todd Phillips eyes more DC origin movies.”
In the body of the article, Siegel claimed, “Warners has sequel option in place for Joker star Joaquin Phoenix.”
She also detailed that Phillips had a meeting with Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich claiming he pitched a package of origin films based on DC Comics characters.
Phillips would rebuke the story in an interview with IndieWire.
He stated, “I can honestly say to you there was no meeting that ever happened on October 7 where I marched in.”
“First of all, if you know me and my career, that’s not my style. I made a huge comedy at Warner Bros., ‘The Hangover,’ and I didn’t suddenly become a comedy factory producer, like, oh, let’s just churn out movies. Bradley [Cooper] and I have a production company at Warners. I’ve been at Warners for 15, 16 years. We have two things in development at all times, not 40 things like some people. I’m not the kind of guy who goes marching in saying I want these 40 titles. I just don’t have the energy,” he elaborated.
He went on to provide more information, “When I pitched them ‘Joker,’ it wasn’t a movie, it was, let’s do a whole label. They shut that down quickly and I get it. Who am I to walk in and start a label at a film studio? But they said, let’s do this one.”
As for a sequel he told IndieWire, “Well, a movie doesn’t make a billion dollars and they don’t talk about a sequel. Joaquin and I have publicly said we’ve been talking about a sequel since week two of shooting because it’s a fun thing to talk about.”
He then specifically claimed the THR article by Siegel from November 2019 was untrue. Phillips said, “But the [THR] article was referring to other things than that that were just frankly untrue. I don’t know how it gets started, if it’s some assistant trying to gain street cred with a writer.”
Phillips then added, “Here’s the real truth about a sequel. While Joaquin and I have talked about it, and while touring the world with Warner Bros executives — going to Toronto, and Venice, and other places — of course, we’re sitting at dinner and they’re saying, ‘So, have you thought about…?’ But, talking about contracts, there’s not a contract for us to even write a sequel, we’ve never approached Joaquin to be in a sequel. Will that happen? Again, I just think the article was anticipatory at best.”
Previously, Phillips had said there were no plans for a sequel. As reported by IGN in September 2019, he said, “We have no plan for a sequel.”
However, he also told Total Film, “One thing I will tell you: I would do anything with Joaquin, any day of the week.”
He added, “There’s nobody like him. If he was willing to do it, and if people show up to this movie, and Warners came to us and said, ‘You know what? If you guys could think of something…’ Well, I have a feeling that he and I could think of something pretty cool.”
Phillips has not publicly commented on these recent rumors, but in one of his more recent Instagram posts from October 2020 did thank fans for their support and shared a number of behind the scenes photos.
He stated, “A big THANK YOU to all of you who have loved and supported this film (and Arthur) since we first released the original camera tests (Sept. ’18). You all helped turn this film into what it ultimately became, and for that I will always be grateful.”
Joker made $1.072 billion at the global box office. It brought in $335.4 million at the domestic box office and $737 million at the international box office. The movie did not screen in China.
It currently has an 88% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes from their Verified Audience, but a 90% from their All Audience Score. On IMDB, the movie has an 8.4 out of 10. It has a 9.0 user score on Metacritic.
What do you make of this new rumor? Do you think a Joker sequel is in the works?