Joker: Folie à Deux Was Never About Addressing Toxic Fandom, Todd Phillips Says
Joker: Folie à Deux is not a commentary on fan entitlement or toxic fandom, writer-director Todd Phillips has said. In a new interview, Phillips said that, instead, the sequel is about what happens to a person who has a title thrust upon them that they never truly wanted. In this case, Phillips is referring to how Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck takes on the title of Joker because it gives him meaning and significance in his otherwise sad life. This story contains spoilers for Joker: Folie à Deux.
Talking to IGN, Phillips said, “It was never about addressing toxic fandom, but it was about addressing this idea of what happens if this thing gets put upon you… but it’s not actually what you are.”
Going further, Phillips said the movie also explores how Arthur reacts in the “worst-case scenario,” which for him is when Lee (Lady Gaga) confirms that she is only in love with Fleck’s Joker persona, and not the man.