How Much Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga Earned for ‘Joker’ Sequel
Last week, Joker: Folie à Deux director Todd Phillips gave audiences a first look at the musical sequel, which will be released in the United States exactly five years after 2019’s Joker. And since then, budget details have come to light, and suffice to say Warner Bros. spared no expense on the film.
According to Variety, the budget for the Joker sequel “has ballooned to about $200 million.” That’s a significant increase from the first film, which cost $60 to make. Sources also say that lead Joaquin Phoenix has gotten a hefty raise this time around, earning $20 million to reprise the role, compared to the $4.5 million he took home for the first film.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga, who will play Dr. Harleen Quinzel, the titular Batman villain’s therapist turned love interest, will earn $12 million for the role. Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) also reprises her role from the original, while Steve Coogan, Brendan Gleeson, and Catherine Keener have joined the cast in undisclosed roles.
It’s a hefty gamble for Warner Bros. The original Joker raked in $1 billion at the box office worldwide, despite an R rating. And the film likewise received critical acclaim when Phoenix won an Oscar for Best Actor at the 2020 Academy Awards. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography, among other categories.
However, as Variety points out, musicals can be tricky, as Warner Bros. reportedly lost $40 million on the 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple. Joker, at least, has a built-in fanbase going for it, but whether that fanbase will turn out for a musical sequel remains to be seen.
Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on October 4, 2024. You can see the first images of Phoenix and Gaga in the film, below.
