Joker 2's New Cast Member Defends Controversial, Staggering Conclusion
The Week Since Joker: Folie à Deux on the Silver Screen Has Sparked a Divide
It's just been a single week since Joker: Folie à Deux graced the big screens, and the public responses and discussions surrounding it have been as polarized as could be. Whether you attended a screening or just caught a synopsis online, folks have plenty to say about the various aspects of the film, primarily the ending. Director Todd Phillips and the film's lead actor, Joaquin Phoenix, have already shared their thoughts on it, so now it's time for the film's hidden gem to offer his insights.
Following being cold-shouldered by Lee (Lady Gaga) and being returned to Arkham Asylum, Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) encounters a fellow inmate, played by Connor Storrie, who's been surreptitiously observing him throughout the film. The inmate delivers a humorous jest, then stabs him to death before branding his own visage with the infamous Glasgow smile. With that, he assumes the Joker persona.
In a conversation with TMZ, Storrie remarked that he wasn't exactly shocked by the audience's reactions to the end. Similar to others, he was initially taken aback by the revelation that this would be a musical, given how "raw and gritty" the first Joker unapologetically was. But as he sees it, the differing opinions were predictable and could even be warranted in some respects. "I'd prefer things to be divisive rather than being dull or excessively sanitized," he said. "You don't take such a bold chance without knowing it sparks opposition to your decisions."
Storrie admires Phillips for "having the nerve to make such a daring move," yet he never viewed Folie à Deux as a secret origin story. (Apparently, he didn't even know the rest of the plot beyond his own character's demise.) Recognizing the sheer weight that Joker carries, he urged his audience not to overthink the implications of the ending or where it might lead. "It was quite clear that this was Joaquin's movie, and this is my role within that narrative," he asserted. "... It forms a part of Arthur's story more than it does laying the groundwork for anything that follows."
Joker: Folie à Deux is now playing across theaters.
[via Variety]
If you crave even more io9 news, don't miss our updated schedules for the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek installments; the future plans for the DC Universe on film and television; and an overview of everything upcoming for the next era of Doctor Who.
- Connor Storrie, the actor who played the inmate in Joker: Folie à Deux, expressed that he wasn't surprised by the audience's polarized reactions to the ending of the movie, likening it to the differing opinions about the movie itself.
- Storrie praised director Todd Phillips for taking the bold step to make a musical from a previously gritty superhero movie, acknowledging that such a move would naturally spark opposition.
- In an interview with TMZ, Storrie asserted that he saw his role as a part of Joaquin Phoenix's narrative in Joker: Folie à Deux, rather than setting up events for future films.
- Amidst discussions about Joker: Folie à Deux, fans can also look forward to updates on the futures of Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe on film and television, and the next era of Doctor Who, as reported by io9.
