Although Joker’s huge box office success, which is a big motivation for the studio to move forward with a sequel.
Joker followed failed stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck who turned to a life of crime in Gotham City after being constantly neglected by society. Joker had a big impact even before it was released, with many theaters taking special measures to ensure all their visitors were safe (and some even choosing to not screen the film at all). Viewers witnessed Arthur’s conversion into a crime icon, but there’s still more to explore and answer about the character – especially because that might have not been the actual Joker.
It was initially reported that Warner Bros. hadn’t even begun negotiations yet. That doesn’t mean that a sequel will never happen (it just might take a bit longer), and when it does, it will be the perfect opportunity to introduce the real Joker without leaving Arthur Fleck behind.
Arthur Fleck Might Not Be The REAL Joker
Before Joker came out there was a lot of talk about Batman/Joker dynamic to be developed properly.
Arthur isn’t exactly a man with a plan, which is one of the Joker’s most defining characteristics, and instead the clown riots emerged as a consequence of an “accident” from his part (that is: killing three Wayne Enterprises businessmen in self-defense). Even when he’s in full Joker mode at Murray Franklin’s talk show, his speech and actions (aside from killing Franklin on the spot) don’t seem to have been planned beforehand, and he certainly wasn’t expecting his TV appearance to trigger major chaos in the city. Another clue is how the name “Joker” is used somewhat lightly in the film, with Murray Franklin mocking Arthur on his show by calling him that and Arthur later asking him to introduce him as Joker. And that’s it.
The idea of Arthur not being the final incarnation of the Joker is not far-fetched, as Phillips himself has suggested Phoenix’s character might instead be the inspiration for the real DC villain – and that would be a very interesting idea to explore in Joker 2.
Joker 2 Can Introduce The True Character
Just because Arthur isn’t the real Joker doesn’t mean that the first film isn’t an origin story. Arthur’s ideology, actions, and the riots inspired by him could be the basis for the emergence of the Clown Prince of Crime as fans have come to know it. The real Joker would be someone – perhaps with a similar background – that grew up idolizing what Arthur did or was inspired by him, as they share the same ideas about society. This character would then become the fully formed version of the Joker, Batman’s eternal enemy who is on par physically and mentally (in of intelligence and strategy, not in sanity) with the Dark Knight.
That means Joker has a good number of backstories with no definitive origin established in order to add to the character’s mystery and danger, as he’s the most unreliable narrator ever. Or they could also take advantage of the Joker’s bad memory and create a new backstory for the film, while also leaving some mystery to it.
How Joker 2 Can Be About Arthur AND A New Joker
Introducing the true Joker doesn’t mean Joker 2 has to leave Arthur behind – there are some things they have to solve about his story, after all. The sequel could do so while also presenting this new character that will go on to become one of DC’s most famous villains, and Arthur could be part of his journey either directly or indirectly. The most obvious path would be Arthur mentoring the real Joker, mirroring in a dark and villainous way all those superhero origin stories where the main character has a mentor.
Another way Arthur could be an active part of the Joker’s journey is by working against him. Because Arthur is not a direct adaptation of any previous version of DC’s villain, it’s unknown if there’s a redeeming quality to him or how his stay at Arkham Asylum could affect him this time. Arthur might not agree with the Joker’s motivations (or maybe he’s getting it all wrong?), and chooses to do something about it, which doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a hero or a good person. This would also be a learning experience for the new character, and would add to his motivations and overall psychopathic tendencies.
On the other hand, these two could never meet, with Arthur instead serving as a sort of “celebrity” and role model to the real Joker, and their stories could be developed at the same time in Joker 2 without them ever crossing paths. Whatever the future holds for a Joker sequel, fans can be sure that Phillips won’t take the task lightly, and will hopefully answer some of the biggest mysteries and questions the first film left, including if Arthur Fleck is the real DC villain or not.
