Lady Gaga looks more maniacal even without the Harley Quinn outfit in the latest Joker 2 set image of a Gotham newspaper prop showing her as an Arkham Asylum a.k.a Arkham State Hospital patient. But the interesting takeaway is the headlines that outright confirm Joaquin Phoenix‘s Joker and Harley Quinn are romantically involved.
Harley Quinn and the clown prince of crime are crazy in love according to the Joker 2 set prop, Gotham Examiner, the city’s newspaper. The prop was spotted being held by one of the extras filming a protest sequence for Joker: Folie à Deux. The sequence in question shows Harleen Quinzel walking up to the Manhattan criminal court while a woman among a group of protestors is shown holding a newspaper.
The newspaper’s cover shows Lady Gaga with a crazed smile posing for a mugshot for Arkham State Hospital. Her name is also noted as Harleen Frances Quinzel. An image of Joker from the Murray Franklin Show, as shown in 2019’s Joker is also on the paper with the subtitle “Joker has a new love”.
The same scene also indicated Harleen possibly being bisexual in Joker: Folie à Deux. The two DCU villain’s love interest arc comes as no surprise, in fact, it played a pivotal part in Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn storyline although Jared Leto’s Joker never got to explore it further. Speaking of props, signboards held by protestors on set also indicated Harvey Dent’s appearance in Joker 2.
Harleen Frances Quinzel ❤️
I am becoming more and more excited for Joker 2 and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn 😍😍😍 Slay queen!!! pic.twitter.com/wAGXXBzbfs— Margo ♡ (@NellieLaRoy_) March 26, 2023
Lady Gaga filming Joker 2!!! pic.twitter.com/tqqrZ5YN2y
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) March 26, 2023
Looks like Harvey Dent might make an appearance in ‘JOKER: FOLIE Á DEUX’! pic.twitter.com/DbQVGRu9qo
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) March 25, 2023
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Phoenix was spotted as well but was wearing a less fancy suit in civilian attire. It remains to be seen if Joker 2 is going down the comic route to initially introduce Gaga’s character as Dr. Harleen Quinzel who fell in love with Joker while treating him. It’s unknown at this point if she will be introduced as a psychologist.
Director Todd Phillips has not shied away from taking creative liberty which led to the 2019 film explaining Arthur Fleck’s uncontrollable laugh as a health condition similar to pseudobulbar disorder. There is speculation the Joker sequel’s subtitle “Folie à Deux” may have hinted at Harley Quinn having a shared psychotic disorder with Aruther Fleck.
Quinn’s romantic interests have been a big part of the character’s storyline on several occasions with the HBO Max animated series also exploring Harlivy relationship. However, her entanglement with Joker has mostly been messy and violent which was addressed to a point in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad.
Joker: Folie à Deux is set to release on October 4, 2024.
