We live in a society where Joker 2 is a reality. In case anyone has forgotten, remember that the original Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix did so well at the box office (and with the critics) that Warner Bros. Pictures is ready to revisit the early days of the clown prince of crime. [Todd Phillips' Joker grossed over $1 billion at the box office and (unlike many of the films that have come out of DC's intellectual property) received great critical acclaim. In addition, Phoenix won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film (which was also nominated for Best Film of the Year).

Will Phillips' Joker stand up to Robert Pattinson's Batman? What should we expect from this sequel? Let's find out.

As for when Joker 2 will be released, the latest news is that it is still in pre-production. At the moment, we think it will appear in late 2023 or so. Here's why:

You're not the only one who forgot that "Joker 2" is in production. News about the film had been simmering under the surface for some time until the news that writer/director Todd Phillips had signed on to "co-write the next Joker film" was buried deep in The Hollywood Reporter's article about Hollywood's most powerful lawyer. In other words, we were off to the races.

The original Joker film took nearly two years to complete: script writing took place in 2017 and the film premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival in 2019. Therefore, Joker 2 is not expected to debut until late 2023.

We are so early in the Joker 2 cycle that we don't really know who to expect. That said, we would be shocked if Joaquin Phoenix does not return to reprise his role as Arthur Fleck; IMDb currently lists his participation as "rumored."

The only way "Joker 2" could happen without Phoenix is if it portrays Mr. J from a completely different era. An entirely new portrayal of the Joker seems a bit too risky.

It is also possible that Sophie Dumont (played by Zazie Beetz) will return, since Arthur did not kill Sophie. This was confirmed by cinematographer Lawrence Sher. She did not "wrong" Arthur, so Arthur did not have to take revenge.

Let us then reflect a bit on who could not come back due to his death in "The Joker". Of course, Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) will not be in "Joker 2" because he was shot in the head during a live broadcast. Arthur's mother, Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy), is also not back, having suffocated her with a pillow.

And of course, we will never see Martha or Thomas Wayne (at least not outside of flashbacks) because Joe Chill shot them both.

But what about the Wayne family son? I hear he has a new movie coming out as well.

Many hope that Batman will appear in Joker 2, but don't hold your breath. Such an appearance would require a time slip of at least 10 years, if not longer. And it is speculated that Joker 2 will focus on Mr. J's evolution and not jump to a full Joker (likely to be the subject of a hypothetical Joker 3, which seems inevitable).

As for the possibility of a final Batman appearance, we see no reason for Robert Pattinson to appear in "Joker 2," "Joker 3," or any of the upcoming films. Pattinson told Yahoo, "It's kind of a different world."

This means that the Joker will likely get his own versions of Batman and Bruce Wayne.

So what exactly happens in "Joker 2?"

The first film ended with Arthur Fleck gunning down TV host Murray Franklin on live television in a decisive and potentially sequel-esque manner. And Bruce Wayne witnessed the murder of his parents by a mob wearing clown masks.

No details have been leaked as to what events Joker 2 will focus on. Originally, Phillips wanted to do a series of origin films of DC villains, not a series of Joker films. In other words, Phillips' return to the film is likely due to either a big offer or a big idea (preferably both).

Nevertheless, what we can expect from "Joker 2" is a serious emotional impact; in 2019, Phillips told Deadline that such a film (if it were to happen) "would ultimately have thematic resonance about childhood trauma, lack of love and loss of empathy, as this film would have to have," he said. That is what made the film such a success for us, so it would need to have the same thematic resonance."

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