What Francis Ford Coppola Movie Inspired 'Joker: Folie à Deux'?

Joker: Folie à Deuxis nearing the end of post-production, and we are starting to get a little bit information about the musical sequel to Joker.

Joker: Folie à Deux stars Joaquin Phoenix as the antihero, Arthur Fleck (also known as the Joker), while Lady Gaga joins as Harley Quinn. Rumored to be set in psychiatric hospital Arkham Asylum, where Harley Quinn made her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series where she treats Arthur before transforming into his codependent lover, Joker: Folie à Deux seems to follow the twisted love story between the Joker and Harley Quinn.

The title of the film uses the French term folie à deux, which means an identical or similar mental disorder affecting two or more individuals, usually the members of a close family.

In a recent interview with Defintion magazine (via Game Radar), Joker: Folie à Deuxcinematographer Lawrence Sher reveals that the "pretty risky movie" was inspired by a musical film directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

What Francis Ford Coppola Film Inspired Joker: Folie à Deux?

Sher noted that the film is visually inspired by Coppola's 1981 musical flop, One from the Heart.

“I broke that down for the new ‘Joker’ so that it was part of the conversation. Whether those images ended up really influencing the new one, in part maybe they did, they became a conversation starter for me and Mark Friedberg the production designer and [director] Todd [Phillips] as we scouted in those early days,” Sher said in an interview with YouTuber Matti Haapoja. “Even if it’s not a reference that you’re going to take on set and say ‘I want it to look like that,’ it’s like brain food. It’s dream food.”

An animated teaser set to Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” hinted at the musical components of the feature. But a behind the scenes video surfaced online earlier this year of Gaga and Phoenix preforming a musical number on the iconic Joker staircase, confirming that the film will indeed be a musical.

Lady Gaga Go Gaga as Harley Quinn: Singing and Dancing for 'Joker 2' on the Iconic Joker Stairsyoutu.be

The film, which will once again be directed by Todd Phillips, wrapped production in April 2023. Phillips credits Zazie Beetz, who starred at Fleck's imaginary love interest in Joker, for spearheading the musical elements in the long awaited sequel.

“Todd [Phillips] has always had a creative approach to the character,” Beetz told The Hollywood Reporter (via ScreenRant). “I love musicals, and I think of them as the characters are feeling and experiencing so much that they can only sing and dance about it, whether in sorrow or in joy. And I can actually see that within myself as well, because singing and dancing is quite a cathartic experience for me.”

While we've seen Gaga's dynamic onscreen performance in A Star is Born, it will be interesting to see how she brings her captivating energy to the disheveled world reminiscent of New Work in '70s era cinema.

We still have a year until the film hits theaters, so we will keep you updated on more inspirations and homages we spot in the Joker sequel.