Thanks to Lady Gaga, 'Joker' Just Went From Toxic to Terrific
Good news, girls! Looks like Lady Gaga is set to play Harley Quinn in Todd Phillips' sequel to Joker, the nearly unwatchable Taxi Driver attempt beloved by angry men everywhere.
Slated to release on October 4, 2024, Joker: Folie à Deux is apparently a musical, signaling the biggest glow up in all of film franchise history. Song and dance numbers starring Lady Gaga dressed as a sexy clown? Joaquin Phoenix serenading Mother Monster? I'm in. Consider this the YASSification of Phillips' filmography!
The prospect of the pop star singlehandedly saving Joker from the depths of bro-worship has lit my brain on fire. What accent will she choose for Quinn? What hijinks will she get up to on the film's press tour? Will she snag that second Oscar?
Selecting Lady Gaga — a celebrity whose fan base skews young, female, and gay — to star in the movie is a bold move, one that's bound to (further) enrage a good portion of diehard Joker fans. And while the choice seems like a sharp pivot for Phillips, known for his work on The Hangover and Borat, don't forget: he was also a producer on A Star Is Born, the 2018 blockbuster starring Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
Personally, I'm betting big on Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Mother Monster converting Joker critics into Joker apologists? That's called a revelation.