The world has finally gotten its first listen at Lady Gaga’s take on the iconic Harley Quinn for the highly-anticipated Joker sequel Folie à Deux – and yes, it sounds exactly like you’d expect the Grammy winner to sound.
In a teaser video released by Warner Bros. on TikTok, a brief audio clip previewed Gaga’s portrayal of the Clown Princess of Crime speaking the line “You can do anything you want…you’re Joker.” The beguiling snippet showcased Gaga delivering the flirtatious come-on using her natural speaking voice rather than adopting Harley’s traditional thick New York/Brooklyn accent.
The audio revelation accompanied the release of the film’s stylized new poster depicting Joaquin Phoenix’s returning Joker dipping Gaga’s Harley in an almost dance-like pose. “The world is a stage,” the poster tagline teases, adding fuel to persistent rumors that Folie à Deux will be a musical or contain musical elements.
Harley’s vocal depiction has been a frequent topic of discussion among fans since Gaga’s casting was first announced last year for the unconventional Joker follow-up, titled Folie à Deux (which translates to “madness for two”). With the maniacal villain’s unmistakable accent and high-pitched vocal affectations having become as intrinsically tied to the character as her iconic court jester costume, speculation swirled whether Gaga would attempt to mimic past voice actors.
However, the songstress seems to be forgoing such affectations in favor of a more grounded, naturalistic delivery filtered through her own signature vocal stylings. The move makes sense given that Folie à Deux is expected to be a separate, unique take on the Joker mythology rather than adhering directly to mainstream DC canon.
Gaga herself fanned the promotional flames further by announcing on her Instagram that the first full teaser trailer for Folie à Deux is scheduled to arrive next Sunday, April 9th. The Grammy legend’s theatrical bewigged visage looms large in the background of the accompanying trailer announcement image.
Director Todd Phillips’ unconventional 2019 character study Joker starring Phoenix was a controversial yet undeniable box office smash, earning over $1 billion globally and scoring 11 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Its R-rating for “strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images” has now been matched by Folie à Deux, which today secured an R from the MPA ratings board for “strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality and brief full nudity.”
With a stacked ensemble featuring Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, and Gaga’s pop peer Harry Styles in an undisclosed role, all eyes are squarely on Joker: Folie À Deux to deliver another anarchic vision of Gotham City unrestrained by traditional comic book norms. And based on this first audio glimpse, Gaga’s idiosyncratic vocals seem poised to put a fiery new stamp on Harley’s mischievous mayhem.
