Joker: Folie à Deux‘s press tour is in full swing as the sequel DC comic film inches ever closer to its theatrical release, and director Todd Phillips and star Lady Gaga are adamant that the sequel film isn’t a musical. The only problem is their hurried explanations for what the film actually is walks, talks, and sashays exactly like the dictionary definition of a musical.
During a Joker 2 press junket at the Venice International Film Festival, Gaga reiterated that Joker 2 is not a musical because it’s different from the typical one.
“The way that music is used is to really give the characters a way to express what they need to say because the scene and dialogue is just not enough,” Gaga said.
Reader, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a musical as “a film or theatrical production typically of a sentimental or humorous nature that consists of musical numbers and dialogue based on a unifying plot.” In other words, it’s exactly what Gaga just said Joker 2 isn’t.
Lady Gaga doesn’t view #Joker2 as a musical.
Gaga says “the music is used to really give the characters a way to express what they need to say because the scene and dialogue is just not enough” #Venezia81 pic.twitter.com/XV5tmmrhY9
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 4, 2024
As mentioned earlier, Gaga isn’t the first person involved in Joker 2 to downplay the film’s apparent musical leanings. In an interview with Variety a couple of weeks prior, Phillips admitted to struggling with labeling Joker 2 as a musical despite having musical numbers where Phoenix and Gaga break out into songs with renditions of classics like “Get Happy,” “For Once in My Life,” and “That’s Life.”
“Most of the music in the movie is really just dialogue. It’s just Arthur not having the words to say what he wants to say, so he sings them instead,” Phillips told Variety, rake-stepping his way into defining what a musical is.
“I just don’t want people to think that it’s like In the Heights, where the lady in the bodega starts to sing and they take it out onto the street, and the police are dancing,” Phillips continued. “No disrespect, because I loved In the Heights.”
“Arthur has music in him. That was a logical leaping-off point for the sequel.” Joker: Folie à Deux – only in theaters and @imax, October 4. #JokerMovie #FilmedForIMAX pic.twitter.com/Jmlj8sF1fQ
— Joker Movie (@jokermovie) September 3, 2024
Hilariously, the official Joker X Twitter account recently uploaded a featurette titled “The Music Within;” in it, Phillips, Phoenix, and Gaga recount how using music—albeit in a rough-sounding way—was a “logical leaping-off point for the sequel.” Even if the music sounds terrible, it’s still a musical.
Regardless of whether or not history will deem Joker 2 as a musical or not, the clown-centric film will hit theaters on October 4.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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