PremiumJoker: Folie à Deux Ending Explained: Is this Joaquin Phoenix’s last time as Arthur Fleck?
The climax of Joker: Folie à Deux is one that will keep you confused for a few days and here we are trying to dissect the ending for you.
Joker: Folie à Deux Ending Explained
Last Updated: 03.47 PM, Oct 03, 2024
After years of anticipation, months of buildup, and a whole lot of rumors and speculation, Joker: Folie à Deux, aka Joker 2, is finally on the big screen, and fans can now witness what Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and Todd Phillips have created. The DC Elseworlds realm is currently captivated by every single review and analysis of the movie, as there is certainly a lot to discuss. Whether you liked it or not, you must agree that the climax brings everyone to the edge of their seats. It leaves you wondering what exactly happened, especially who did the most shocking thing in the film. Let’s break it down. If you haven’t seen the film, beware—SPOILERS AHEAD.
Joker: Folie à Deux Ending Explained
Joker: Folie à Deux mostly centers on Arthur Fleck dealing with the consequences of his actions from the first film. He is in Arkham Asylum, awaiting his trial. During his time there, he meets Lee, aka Harley Quinzel, played by Lady Gaga, who is also an inmate. Soon, they develop a bond and fall in love. Even after Harley is free, she ensures that she remains by her Joker’s side. However, in the end, Arthur abandons his Joker persona, which deeply upsets Lee because it was the Joker she fell in love with. She leaves him and walks away because he is no longer the Joker she adored.
What follows is the real shocker in Joker: Folie à Deux. We see Arthur back in Arkham Asylum as an inmate, now seemingly as ordinary as the rest, no longer embodying the Joker we’ve seen. While watching TV with other inmates, he is called by an officer who tells him he has a visitor. But who is this visitor? Is it Lee? Was there even a visitor at all? We are left in the dark. As Arthur walks toward the meeting chamber, another inmate follows him. This inmate calls out to Arthur, saying he has a joke for him. Just before finishing the joke, the inmate repeats the same line Arthur said when he killed Murray on live TV: “You get what you f***ing deserve,” before stabbing Arthur multiple times with a sharp object.
We don’t know who this killer is, but we soon see Arthur breathing his last breath, slowly succumbing to his wounds. What’s even more intriguing is what happens in the blurred background: the killer carves a smile on his face, similar to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight trilogy. Does this imply that the Joker never truly dies, that there will always be a Joker as long as Gotham exists? This scene could also be a homage to Heath Ledger’s Joker, as Todd Phillips wouldn’t connect the movie to The Dark Knight trilogy so blatantly. The physical similarities between the undisclosed character and Ledger’s Joker support this theory. Only Todd Phillips can confirm the meaning behind the scene, but one thing is certain: Joaquin Phoenix is not returning, and Joker 3 is not in the works at the moment.
No Joker 3, Says Todd Phillips
According to Comic Book Movie, Todd Phillips has confirmed that Joker: Folie à Deux will be the last solo movie in this storyline, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. There are no plans to continue, as the story has reached its conclusion. "The last day on this one was very different because we were in New York shooting on the stairs with 8,000 paparazzi people," Phillips explained. "It was a very frustrating day, so we all wanted to get the hell out of there. But we then had this little get-together downtown at my friend's bar, and it was actually really beautiful. Joaquin and Gaga and everybody was there, and, of course, the crew."
Todd Phillips subtly hinted that this is where the story ends, and viewers will understand when they see the movie. He added, "Again, you'll see the movie, and you'll go, 'Oh, I get it. The story is told.'" In other words, this is the conclusion. This news might disappoint fans who were hoping for an update on Joker 3.
Joker: Folie à Deux is currently in theaters. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.