Joker Director Says He Probably Won’t Make Another DC Movie

Joker director Todd Phillips created one of the most profitable films in Hollywood history and is following it up with Joker: Folie à Deux this coming Friday, October 4. Would Phillips ever come back for another Joker or DC movie? Don’t get your hopes up.

Asked by The Hollywood Reporter if he might make a standalone movie for Lady Gaga’s character, Harley, Phillips said he has no plans for that or any other DC movies.

“It’s not really where this movie is headed for me. I feel like my time in the DC Universe was these two films,” he said.

Before this, Phillips told Variety that he had fun making two Joker movies, but noted, “I think we’ve said what we wanted to say in this world.” As such, no one should expect Phillips to come back for Joker 3 or any other DC film, though of course plans can always change.

Joker: Folie à Deux is poised for a gigantic debut when it opens on October 4, but won’t be able to match the pace of the record-setting original film from 2019, according to estimates. The movie is on track to earn $70 million or more in North America alone for its opening weekend in early October. That would be well below the $96.2 million that 2019’s Joker earned domestically for its opening weekend.

Joker: Folie à Deux brings back Joaquin Phoenix as Joker, a role he won an Oscar for in the first film. Gaga joins the cast as Harley, while Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Steve Coogan also have roles, along with Zazie Beetz reprising her character from the first film.

The movie had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, and reviews were all over the place, just like the critical reception to the original movie.