Despite the massive success of Joker and previous reports about a sequel being in the works, Joaquin Phoenix still isn't sure what the future holds for his Clown Prince of Crime.
In a recent interview with The Playlist, Phoenix didn't rule out a return as the character, but he isn't sure a sequel will happen. "I dunno," he said when asked about another Jokermovie. He then explained that while he and Phillips both found their take on the Joker to be interesting, there doesn't appear to be any official news on a sequel. "I mean, I dunno. From when we were shooting, we started to —you know, uhh, this is an interesting guy. There are some things we could do with this guy and could [explore] further. But as to whether we actually will? I don’t know."
Director Todd Phillips' Joker hit theaters in October 2019 and almost immediately smashed box office expectations. The film opened to a massive $96.2 million, with its budget reportedly only $55 million. For most major films, those numbers would fast-track a sequel, and in May, reports suggested Phillips had signed on to direct Joker 2.
Shortly after the film's release, Phillips revealed he would love to return for a Joker sequel and work with Phoenix again. "When a movie does $1 billion and cost $60 million to make, of course it comes up. But Joaquin and I haven’t really decided on it. We’re open," he explained. "I mean, I’d love to work with him on anything, quite frankly. So who knows? But it would have to have a real thematic resonance the way this one did, ultimately being about childhood trauma and the lack of love, and the loss of empathy."
Joker ended its theatrical run with $335.45 million domestically and an astounding $738.97 million internationally for a worldwide haul of $1.07 billion. The R-rated feature broke countless records, and not only was it the first R-rated film to cross $1 billion at the box office, but it was also the biggest October international opening of all time and the biggest worldwide launch of all time for October. Joker was similarly the biggest title for both Phillips and Phoenix, marking a career-high for both men.
Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix. The film is now available on digital, Blu-ray, 4K UHD and DVD.