MOVIE NEWS – The director of Joker 2 – or Joker: Folie à Deux – denies that the sequel is actually about “toxic fans”…

When a movie doesn’t turn out the way fans hoped, they usually want to know what the hell happened. Whether it’s Star Wars, Marvel, or anything else, fan speculation runs wild on social media soon after a project is released. This is no different in the case of Joker 2, that is, under its official title, Joker: Folie à Deux. It has been the subject of vitriolic criticism and angry comments since its premiere last weekend. Although the first film received mixed reviews, most believed that director Todd Phillips had a purpose and a more profound message. As for the sequel, are moviegoers trying to figure out the film’s exact purpose? Many believe the film was intended to attack “toxic fandom”. As fans continue to debate what exactly went wrong with the Joker sequel, Phillips has made his intentions clear.

Speaking with IGN, Phillips addressed the toxic fan narrative and insisted that wasn’t the film’s point. The director wanted to capture Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) perspective on reality and explore more of his psyche while also showing that Arthur and the Joker persona he created are very different people.

“[It] was never about addressing toxic fandom, but it was about addressing this idea of ​​what happens if this thing gets put upon you, like we were saying, just five minutes ago, but it’s not actually what you are. And then, what happens in the worst case scenario, if you finally find love in your life or you think you do, but that person is in love with the character that you represent, not the person that you are.”

Complaints and criticisms about Joker: Folie à Deux range widely.

Those who loved the 2019 predecessor feel that the sequel dismantles almost everything that happened in the first film. Especially considering where Arthur ended up at the end of the movie. He seems to embrace Joker’s personality because it has allowed him to do things he was previously unable to do. In doing so, he created a movement where he is finally being seen. All of this is apparently ignored in the sequel, where the audience mostly finds Arthur lost in himself. He is nowhere near the confident character he was at the end of the first film.

According to Todd Phillips, Joker 2 proves that Arthur was never the “real” Joker

On the other hand, since the sequel’s release, Phillips has publicly stated that Arthur was never the “real” Joker. It was a label stuck on him. The director said:

“When those guards kill that kid in the [hospital], he realizes that dressing up in makeup, putting on this thing, it’s not changing anything. In some ways, he’s accepted the fact that he’s always been Arthur Fleck. He’s never been this thing that’s been put upon him, this idea that Gotham people put on him, that he represents. He’s an unwitting icon. This thing was placed on him, and he doesn’t want to live as a fake anymore – he wants to be who he is.”

Other complaints were directed at the musical nature of the sequel. The film’s ending has also been criticized, which many believe makes the two films pointless in the end. Others say Lady Gaga could have done a lot more as Harley Quinn. Speaking of which, most fans struggle to determine Folie à Deux’s true motivations. After the film’s less-than-desirable opening weekend numbers, the hunt for scapegoats is in full swing, and it’s likely to stay that way until the dust settles.

Despite Phillips’ intentions, fans seem to be taking the sequel as a personal attack, with some suggesting that he deliberately sabotaged the sequel because he never really wanted to make it. Remember, during the promotional tour for the first film, Phillips often stated that the film was a standalone story and that there were no plans for a sequel. A billion dollars can change things, and now that the sequel is here, it seems that neither group of fans is pleased with the outcome…

Source: IGN