Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips Weigh In

The alternatives made at the end of Joker: Folie à Deux are arguably the largest the reason why the movie has been so polarizing. Whereas some discover them fascinating and insightful, many others find them maddening and subversive. Two individuals who do just like the ending, although, are the movie’s co-writer and director Todd Phillips and its star Joaquin Phoenix, and in a brand new interview, the pair spoke in detail about the ending.

Speaking to IGN, Phillips and Phoenix mentioned Arthur’s alternative to go away behind Joker—together with the truth that he dies, and the one who kills him. Let’s begin with the concept of what these films have been about in a bigger sense which, as you’ll learn, speaks to the one who kills Arthur on the finish of the movie.

“One of many issues that individuals by no means understood concerning the first film was, ‘I don’t get it. He visits Bruce Wayne and he’s 30 years older than Bruce Wayne. What sort of geriatric Joker goes to battle sooner or later?’” Phillips mentioned. “I don’t know should you’ve ever noticed the script of the primary film. The primary movie known as Joker. It’s not referred to as The Joker, it’s referred to as Joker. And the primary movie beneath the script at all times mentioned ‘An origin story.’ By no means mentioned ‘THE origin story.’ It was this concept that perhaps this isn’t THE Joker. Perhaps that is the inspiration for the Joker. So, in essence on the finish of this film, the factor you’re being left with is ‘Wait, what’s that factor taking place behind him? Is that the man?’”

Okay, we guess that is sensible. It does additionally associate with Phillips concept of Arthur’s mindset on the finish of the movie proper earlier than he’s murdered. “I believe Arthur has discovered peace with the concept, with the battle that it’s okay to be your self,” Phillips mentioned. “And that’s actually what he’s at all times struggled with, you realize what I imply? I prefer to assume he died at peace in a method being himself. The child says to him, ‘You wish to hear a joke?’ And although he thinks perhaps it’s [Lee waiting to visit him] downstairs. We don’t even know what’s downstairs, however that form of optimism that Arthur has, that’s nonetheless in him. He’s like, ‘Properly, yeah, okay, after all’ as a result of he is aware of that feeling of desirous to make anyone snort. So he provides the child that second, proper? Clearly it goes unhealthy as a result of, once more, all the pieces goes unhealthy for Arthur, however I at all times assume that’s such a good looking second the place it’s like Arthur nonetheless has hope.”

Phoenix echoed these sentiments. “There’s a heat in that scene, which is sweet,” the Oscar winner mentioned. “That’s all that I used to be serious about that I used to be after, is right here’s this younger man who’s telling me a joke and he’s nervous to inform me the joke, I can inform that he’s nervous, and I’m going to listen to him out. And it’s a fairly good setup.”

So, principally, Phillips is saying the movies are a few man who goes by means of a journey to seek out himself, lastly does, and dies within the course of. Then, alongside the best way, he evokes others to take his persona to the following stage and, properly, we’ll see the place it goes from there.

Should you’d prefer to learn extra from Phillips and Phoenix, head over to IGN. Joker: Folie à Deux is now in theaters.

Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and all the pieces it’s good to find out about the way forward for Doctor Who.