Batman by the Numbers: Joker: Folie à Deux Review

There’s arguably no superhero in existence that has been reimagined, redefined, or reinterpreted more than Batman.  No matter how many times he’s been rebooted, audiences are always willing to come back to Gotham City’s greatest defender.  With so much Bat content out there, there’s plenty to dissect, analyze, and of course, rank!  This podcast is dedicated to a surgical evaluation of Batman’s history, with a focus on ranking several topics in the world of Batman, among other classic Bat themes and characters. Join hosts Daniel Cohen, Pop Break’s former Film Editor, and Kris Ingersoll, co-host of the Media/Lit podcast, as they bring on several guests every month to share their passion for the one and only Dark Knight.  From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, no bat stone will be left unturned.  Bottom-line: If you’re a Batman fan, this is required listening. Let us take you back to 2019, when a little movie called Joker was released in cinemas.  Directed by Todd Phillips of The Hangover fame, and starring Joaquin Phoenix, this movie took a different approach to the villain we’ve all known for decades.  It was an experiment in the superhero genre to say the least, but an experiment that paid off BIG TIME. Despite the high divisive nature of the film, Joker brought in over a billion dollars at the box office worldwide, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and got two wins, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix.   It was a phenomenon. Flash forward to 2024.  The sequel.  Joker: Foile à Deux.  Todd Phillips is back.  Joaquin Phoenix is back.  Lady Gaga gets added.  It’s going to be even bigger, right????!!!!! Yikes. By the time you listen to this podcast, the Joker: Foile à Deux Blu-ray could be in a Costco bin behind a giant stack of Cheez-Its in what has to be one of the biggest box office flops of the last five years. Daniel and Kris are joined by the co-host of the Joy Schtick Show, Thomas Craig, as the three discuss this highly anticipated (or maybe not?) sequel.  Do they agree with the consensus that the movie is awful…you might be surprised. All angles of this movie are dissected.  The cast.  The ending.  The writing.  What worked.  What didn’t work.  The musical element.  Was Lady Gaga underutilized? While all relevance of this sequel is evaporating before our very eyes, you’ll want to revive your Joker: Foile à Deux opinions one last time, because this is one GREAT conversation you don’t want to miss!