Warner Bros. is reportedly quite serious about getting Joaquin Phoenix back, not only for ‘Joker 2’, but for another sequel as well, which would complete a trilogy. ‘Joker’ arrived last year and became an unexpectedly huge hit both critically and commercially, controversial though it may have been. As such, the studio seems intent on getting Phoenix back under the makeup for another go as the DC villain. As incentive, they are said to be offering him a boatload of cash.
According to a new report, Joaquin Phoenix is being offered $50 million to return for the sequels. Warner Bros. is said to be hopeful that the movies could be ready to go in 2022 and 2024, respectively. This comes after Phoenix took home the Best Actor Oscar earlier this year at the Academy Awards, capping off a huge awards season run. Plus, ‘Joker’ took in more than $1 billion at the box office, making it hugely profitable, given its relatively small budget.
Indeed, both Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips had initially thought of this as a standalone, one-off project. But the success of the R-rated DC Comics adaptation has made it impossible for Warner Bros. not to pursue a franchise play. To that point, they are said to be looking to lock down a long-term commitment with the entire filmmaking team.
Bradley Cooper was a producer on ‘Joker’, which wasn’t hugely advertised despite his A-list status. Though much was made of Martin Scorsese’s possible involvement. The idea is to keep the same team together. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. But Joaquin Phoenix would need to sign on the dotted line and make a huge commitment, which is something the actor was previously hesitant to do. Phoenix was in the running for Marvel’s Doctor Strange several years back before Benedict Cumberbatch signed on for the role.
It had previously been revealed that Warner Bros. was in the early stages of developing a sequel. While talks have taken place, nobody had signed any deals for a follow-up. With uncertainty looming in the theatrical marketplace, sure bets are going to become more important than ever. While ‘Joker 3’ may be getting a bit ahead of things, ‘Joker 2’ seems as rock-solid as anything could be. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. —Mirror