How to make the Joker sequel great

By now, people have figured out that Joaquin Phoenix has signed on for the Joker sequel. Additionally, we recently learned that Lady Gaga has also joined the cast. And the upcoming sequel won’t be just another regular movie, but a musical, which seems questionable.

This project certainly has potential, but it seems like the filmmakers are stepping into some bad territory that may ruin the reputation of the original film. Most sequels never end up being as great as the original, anyway. With the script already being written and the plot being kept under wraps, it seems only fair to look at what could really make this sequel soar high.

How to make the Joker sequel great

The Joker sequel needs to introduce Batman

The first film already introduced Bruce Wayne, albeit while he was a child, and the appearance was very brief. Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) waltzed right up to Wayne Manor and encountered the young Bruce looking for his father. He was stopped by the butler Alfred and corners Bruce’s father in the bathroom of a theater.

It has been neither confirmed nor denied that Robert Pattinson’s Batman film was in the same universe as the 2019 Joker film. It would be the best move to do so, to incorporate the two films. Seeing Robert Pattinson and Joaquin Phoenix duke it out on screen seems like a dream come true in every comic-book fan’s mind.

Barry Keoghan already made a cameo appearance as the clown prince of crime but that doesn’t mean a shift in casting can change the fabric of the film and build the new DC cinematic universe that has been recently laid out.

The Joker should kill Robin

Another character that can be introduced, in addition to Batman, is his sidekick, Robin. Jason Todd would be the Robin, if done appropriately. In the comics, Joker killed Batman’s protege by beating him with a crowbar and exploding the warehouse that he was held captive in.

That plot point could make for an interesting dichotomy between the characters. It could show just how evil and psychotic the Joker has grown to be while using his intelligence and evil characteristics to come off as more frightening than in the original film.

We don’t need a Joker musical

The most obvious reason to make his sequel great is to eliminate the musical aspect of the film. Comic-book films are known to either be about action or suspense. If you asked someone to name a well-known superhero movie that also happens to be a musical, you would be waiting for a long time. Comic books and musicals usually don’t blend well with each other, which is why it seems so strange to see the two genres coincide in this manner.

Lady Gaga singing doesn’t sound like such a big deal, since she is known for it, but seeing Phoenix belt out a tune in Joker makeup seems a bit far-fetched. It may have worked for Walk the Line, but this is not that kind of movie and it seems like a poor choice when finalizing the script.

Hopefully, director Todd Phillips can manage to make another hit out of this would-be Broadway stage play.