Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga put on a bloody show as they sing and dance through Arkham State Hospital in the latest trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
The new sneak peek dropped on July 23 after a 24-hour livestream hosted by Warner Bros., and it showcases Joker’s “trial of the century” in the sequel to Todd Phillips’ “Joker” (2019), as he faces the consequences for his actions in the original film.
But this time around, Phoenix, 49, as the disturbed Joker in Arthur Fleck, now finds a partner-in-crime in Gaga’s Harley Quinn.
The trailer opens with Quinn saying: “When I first saw Joker — when I saw you — for once in my life, I didn’t feel so alone anymore,” before showing any of the malicious acts from the duo.
Their tumultuous journey then unfolds with scenes of dance and mischief, with Harley encouraging Joker through his ventures into entertainment and violence.
“You can do anything you want . . . you’re Joker,” she tells him.
Phillips, 53, returns to direct the sequel after the 2019 original was majorly successful. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won two, including Best Actor for Phoenix.
When filming finished in April 2023, Phillips wrote on Instagram: “That’s a wrap. Thanks to these two (+ the entire cast) and the BEST crew that the film industry has to offer. From top to bottom.”
“Gonna crawl into a cave now (edit room) and put it all together,” he added.
Gaga, 38, gave some insight into her portrayal of the iconic character in May.
“You know, my version of Harley is mine, and it’s very authentic to this movie and these characters,” she told “Access Hollywood” at the time. “I’ve never done anything like I’ve done in this movie before, so it’s all going to be completely brand-new and really fun.”
“I don’t want to give anything from the movie away,” the “A Star Is Born” actress added. “I think it’s really something you have to experience in the theater.”
Gaga also teased, “This film has music, it has dance, it has amazing acting in it.”
“I loved working with Joaquin, I loved working with Todd,” Gaga continued. “I’ve never done anything like I’ve done in this movie before, so it’s all going to be completely brand-new and really fun.”
The musical aspect of the new rendition differs from the original.
Gaga, though a seasoned musician, almost wasn’t considered for the role of Quinn. In fact, it wasn’t casting director Francine Maisler’s first idea at all to cast the “Just Dance” singer opposite Phoenix.
Instead, Phillips chose her for the part, and apparently he knew what he was doing.
“She’s so good in it, you guys. She’s going to blow your mind,” Maisler, 61, exclaimed when speaking at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on July 5, via IndieWire. “I didn’t suggest Lady Gaga. It wasn’t my idea. That was Todd Phillips, before me. But I will tell you, she’s really surprising — and really good. I saw it, and I was really surprised. I mean, we all knew what she could do in ‘A Star Is Born,’ but I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s kind of in her wheelhouse.’ Something she could do and just be real. But this . . . Man, she’s good.”
Margot Robbie previously played Quinn in “Suicide Squad” (2016), “Birds of Prey” (2020) and “The Suicide Squad” (2021). The actress voiced her support for Gaga taking on the role, telling Entertainment Weekly in 2022 that she will “do something incredible with it.”
In January, she told Variety: “I always wanted Harley to be a character that would get passed on to other actresses to play, the way there are so many iconic male characters.”
Robbie continued: “That was always the dream for her. Harley’s so fun and can go in so many different directions. You put her in someone else’s hands, and it’s like, ‘What are they going to do with her?’ The options are endless.”
Catherine Keener, Brendan Gleeson and Zazie Beetz round out the cast of “Joker: Folie à Deux.”
It is set to hit theaters on Oct. 4.