Will there be a ‘Joker 3′ with Joaquin Phoenix?

Judging by recent comments made by Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix, a third instalment of the Joker movie franchise doesn’t appear to be in the pipeline.

Joker sequel, Folie À Deux, out now

After directing 2019’s Joker, a picture that delved into the origin story of the eponymous DC Comics supervillain, Phillips has reunited with actor Phoenix for the film’s sequel, which is out in the United States today, Friday October 4.

Phoenix again stars as Arthur Fleck/Joker in Joker: Folie À Deux, having earned the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the first movie - a film that also won Best Original Score and picked up nine further Academy Award nominations. Zazie Beetz likewise returns for Folie À Deux, while Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson and Catherine Keener join the cast for part two.

However, Folie À Deux could well be the end of the line for the Joker franchise: Phillips and Phoenix have both said they’re reluctant to add any more films to the series.

What have Joker’s director and star said about a third movie?

“It was fun to play in this sort of sandbox for two movies, but I think we’ve said what we wanted to say in this world,” Phillips revealed in an interview with Variety in August. At September’s Venice Film Festival, where Folie À Deux had its world premiere, the director then spoke in a similar vein, albeit he conceded he couldn’t completely rule out a third Joker movie. “For me, the story of Arthur/Joker has been told,” the 53-year-old said, per ScreenRant. “I can’t say yes or no, but it’s not necessarily my goal to stay in this space.”

Phoenix, meanwhile, has explained that the physical demands of appearing in Joker - he had to lose around 50 lbs for the role - are likely to be too great to warrant a third film. “I’m now 49, I probably shouldn’t do this again,” the actor told reporters in Venice, according to Variety. “This is probably it for me.”

Joker: Folie Á Deux - watch the trailer:

Joker: Folie À Deux - official synopsis

“Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker,” distributors Warner Bros say. “While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.”

What kind of critical reception has Joker: Folie À Deux had?

While the original Joker movie earned Oscars recognition - and accrued over $335 million at the US box office - it received mixed reviews. Five years on, Folie À Deux has also met with a critical response that is far from universally positive. This time around, indeed, there appears to be greater agreement among film critics.

For example, the New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski writes: “For nearly two and a half hours, director Todd Phillips’ pathologically unnecessary movie cycles through so many potential reasons to exist. But, as ‘Deux’ grows increasingly disturbing, repulsive and strange on the hunt, it ultimately never finds a satisfying one.”

Meanwhile, Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson describes Folie À Deux as “startlingly dull” - an opinion apparently shared by the BBC’s Nicholas Barber, who dismisses the movie as “definitely not much fun”. Jake Coyle of the Associated Press concludes: “It combines prison drama, courthouse thriller and musical, and yet turns out remarkably inert”.