Todd Phillips Explains What's Really Going on With 'Joker' Sequel
Talk of a Joker sequel hit an all-time high this week after publications announced that the director, Todd Phillips, had a meeting with Warner Bros. in which he proposed that he would make Joker 2, as well as a portfolio of other origin stories in the DC universe. The Hollywood Reporter first stated that Phillips was granted the sequel, as well as one other character’s story. Quickly, Deadline debunked that report, and now Phillips is speaking out.
IndieWire reports that the 48-year-old director spoke to the publication about the validity of the gossip, and he revealed that it is all hearsay. He explained:
“I can honestly say to you there was no meeting that ever happened on October 7 where I marched in. First of all, if you know me and my career, that’s not my style. I made a huge comedy at Warner Bros., The Hangover, and I didn’t suddenly become a comedy factory producer, like, oh, let’s just churn out movies. Bradley [Cooper] and I have a production company at Warners. I’ve been at Warners for 15, 16 years. We have two things in development at all times, not 40 things like some people. I’m not the kind of guy who goes marching in saying I want these 40 titles. I just don’t have the energy.”
As for a sequel, Phillips admitted there have been conversations, but nothing has been put into writing, explaining:
“Well, a movie doesn’t make a billion dollars and they don’t talk about a sequel. Joaquin [Phoenix] and I have publicly said we’ve been talking about a sequel since week two of shooting because it’s a fun thing to talk about. But the article was referring to other things than that that were just frankly untrue. I don’t know how it gets started, if it’s some assistant trying to gain street cred with a writer.”
While a second Joker film could be a possibility, it's clear now that it is not in the works just yet.