The biggest challenge in front of Joker: Folie à Deux under James Gunn’s DC is to reclaim one box office record from Kevin Feige’s Deadpool 3.

Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker: Folie à Deux will premiere at the Venice International Film Festival next month. The expectations from the series are sky-high with the previous film bagging two Oscars. Lady Gaga also joins the sequel in the role of Harley Quinn. Harry Lawtey, who plays Harvey Dent, shared that he was lucky to star alongside these icons and learn from them.

Lawtey went on to sing praises about the actors and the film, hyping it up for the fans. DC is aiming for another major-grossing film at the box office under James Gunn after The Batman. However, DC fans will also want the film to reclaim one record that was stolen from its predecessor by the recent Marvel release, Deadpool & Wolverine.

Harry Lawtey’s Words Hype Up Joker: Folie à Deux For Fans

Joker: Folie à Deux will follow Joaquin Phoenix‘s Arthur Fleck two years after he killed Murray Franklin live on television. The film added Lady Gaga in the role of Harleen Quinzel, a music therapist at the Arkham State Hospital. A few other familiar faces are also cast in the film, with Industry fame Harry Lawtey playing the role of Harvey Dent.

Lawtey recently opened up to Vogue about his role in the film and he had nothing but great things to say about the DC Elseworld film. Lawtey shared that Joker 2 was a “hugely ambitious film” with a “bespoke vision in terms of what they’re going for”. He revealed that working with Gaga and Phoenix in the film was a surreal experience for him.

Lawtey shared that it was both an education and a rollercoaster ride to star alongside those two actors in the film. He shared that he came out with a lot of admiration for both Gaga and Phoenix. The Pale Blue Eye actor shared that these actors used “every tool at their disposal” to bring their best performance to the film. Lawtey shared with Vogue:

These people are icons. To share space with them and to work alongside them was an education and a roller coaster. I went in—and thankfully came out—with such a huge amount of admiration for them both. They’re brilliant artists and very holistic ones as well. They’re using every tool at their disposal, and to have a front-row seat to that is a real privilege. They’re both just really kind. They’re just really cool, lovely, very down-to-earth people. I can’t wait for everyone to see what they’ve both achieved.

James Gunn would expect the film to bring in the big bucks, though fans found the exorbitant budget of the film unnecessary. According to Variety, the film’s budget stands at a whopping $200 million. The film also has one major challenge in the form of the box office record of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Joker: Folie à Deux Will Have To Reclaim The First Film’s Box Office Record Back From Deadpool 3

For a long time, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker held the record for the highest-grossing R-rated film, until it was surpassed by Deadpool & Wolverine. At $1.145 billion and counting, Ryan Reynolds‘ film has beaten Joker‘s $1.079 billion record (via Variety). To stand tall over Kevin Feige‘s MCU, James Gunn’s DC needs to top Deadpool 3‘s box office with Joker: Folie à Deux.

However, it appears to be easier said than done. While the MCU film was a mass entertainer, the Joker sequel will be another award-worthy film like its predecessor. The first film won two Academy Awards for Best Actor for Phoenix and Best Original Score for Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Joker is now available for streaming on Max. Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled for a theatrical release on October 4, 2024.