Filmmaker Todd Phillips has dropped a set of new photos on his Instagram from a highly anticipated film, “Joker: Folie a Deux” which is featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.

The first photo shows Phoenix playing Arthur Fleck through what appears to be a cell window with the number “E258” above it. The next photo reveals Gaga plays Harley gazing sweetly at Phoenix now in his signature Joker makeup on. 

In his posting on Instagram, Phillips says: “Wishing everyone a happy holiday and a beautiful new year”. 

The R-rated 2019 “Joker” grossed $1 billion and scored 11 Oscar nominations and won the Best Actor for Phoenix, and Best Original score for composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. 

Phoenix returns as Arthur Fleck here in a story that will reportedly unfold almost entirely within Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum and will have musical elements. Guðnadóttir, who serves as composer for the sequel as well, told Variety that she thinks the musical route makes complete sense for the story.

“It’s an interesting decision,” Guðnadóttir said. “It’s both logical and also very surprising for me as well as the audience. So far, it’s just been a really beautiful conversation, and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds.”

There’s been no trailers for the film as yet and it’s expected we won’t see any until probably around Easter at the earliest.

Besides Phoenix, Gaga, the film also stars  Zazie Beetz, Catherine Keener, Brendan Gleeson, and Jacob Lofland, Phillips once again directs from a script he wrote with Scott Silver. The film is considered a DC Elseworlds project, thus is not part of the Peter Safran and James Gunn DC Universe. Previously it has been said the new film will take its visual inspiration from Francis Ford Coppola’s lavish musical “One from the Heart”.

“Joker: Folie a Deux” is slated to premiere on October 4th 2024.