As we told you several times over the past month, there is no world in which Warner Bros. doesn’t make a sequel to Joker and expand on their DC Origins universe.
Now, THR is making it more “official” as they write that Joker director Todd Phillips is “likely” to reteam with star Joaquin Phoenix on a follow-up to the $1 billion-grossing R-rated hit.
In addition, they share an anecdote in which Phillips headed into Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich’s office, buoyed by the film’s $96.2 million opening-weekend haul – where he proposed an outsized idea — the rights to develop a portfolio of DC characters’ origin stories.
While he was allegedly balked at, the site reports, “Phillips did emerge from the meeting with the rights to at least one other DC story.”
As for the Joker sequel, the site says Phillips is in talks to reprise his role as director, and will co-pen the film with Scott Silver.
Warners has sequel options in place for Joker star Joaquin Phoenix, which means he doesn’t have a choice in the matter. He’ll be back if they move forward.
Update: Interestingly, Deadline throws major shade at THR and disputes the entirety of this morning’s story claiming there are no plans for a sequel (yet) and that there haven’t been any negotiations between Warner and Phillips. They also state the story in which Phillips left a meeting with a single property to adapt is also bunk.
Frankly, there’s no planet in which a Joker sequel isn’t made. We’ll just have to sit back and wait for an official announcement.
