• 'Joker: Folie a Deux', the sequel to 'Joker', premiered at the Venice Film Festival, receiving an 11-minute standing ovation.
• The film explores the shared psychosis of Arthur Fleck and Lee, played by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga respectively.
• Initial reactions to the film were mixed, with some praising the chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga, while others criticized it for revisiting familiar territory.
• Despite the physical challenges of weight loss and dance rehearsals, Phoenix's performance suggests that the film may follow the successful trajectory of its predecessor.

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 film 'Joker', titled 'Joker: Folie a Deux', has made a grand entrance at the ongoing Venice Film Festival. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and directed by Todd Phillips, received an 11-minute standing ovation, a testament to its cinematic prowess. The premiere was a star-studded event, with Phoenix arriving early to interact with fans and take selfies. Phillips, too, was seen mingling with the crowd, borrowing a paper fan from a guest to keep cool in the hot temperatures.

Lady Gaga's arrival was met with chants of her name, creating one of the biggest frenzies of this year's festival. Photographers were seen tripping over each other on the carpet to get a shot of the star. The premiere also saw the attendance of CAA CEO Bryan Lourd and Warner Bros. Pictures CEO Mike De Luca. As Gaga made her way down the stairs from the balcony seat where she watched the movie, she almost caused a stampede as she signed autographs for fans.

Phoenix left the theater early after nine minutes of clapping. He and Lady Gaga were in deep conversation during the standing ovation, seemingly discussing the movie. Gaga also hugged her fiance, Michael Polansky, twice during the celebration.

Joker: Folie a Deux - A Shared Madness

'Joker: Folie a Deux' explores the story of Arthur Fleck, played by Phoenix, who is now a maximum-security inmate at Arkham State Hospital. Lady Gaga's character, Lee, a patient who eventually becomes Harley Quinn, forms a relationship with Arthur after they meet in a music therapy group. The film delves into their shared psychosis, as suggested by its subtitle, Folie a Deux, which means madness for two. It incorporates music and dance, with both Phoenix and Gaga singing live for the film, adding a new dimension to the Joker's world.

The film is the follow-up to Phillips' 2019 film 'Joker', which also premiered at Venice and won the prestigious Golden Lion. It went on to become the sixth-highest grossing film of the year and won the Academy Awards for Best Actor for Phoenix's performance and original score for Hildur Gudnadottir. It received a total of 11 Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture, becoming the first DC Comics film to do so.

Mixed Reactions and Phoenix's Weight Loss Challenge

Initial reactions to 'Joker: Folie a Deux' were mixed. The film got an enthusiastic 11-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, indicating a positive audience response. However, some reviews called it a boring sequel, while others praised the real spark between Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, and noted the film's daring blend of genres. Critics mentioned that the movie had interesting themes but also criticized it for revisiting familiar territory. Overall, opinions seemed to be divided.

Joaquin Phoenix found the weight loss for 'Joker: Folie a Deux' more difficult due to the added component of extensive dance rehearsals, which made the process more physically challenging for him. Despite this, he confirmed that the weight loss was done safely.

The film's premiere at the Venice Film Festival is reminiscent of the premiere of the original 'Joker' film in 2019, which also received a standing ovation and went on to win the Golden Lion at the festival. The sequel's reception suggests that it may follow a similar trajectory, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success.