Lady Gaga might have met her method acting match in Joaquin Phoenix.
Just when the swarms of flies had stopped following the pop star after her equal parts bizarre and hilarious “House of Gucci” press tour, she’s considering a dive even deeper into another role for the much-anticipated “Joker” sequel.
The Oscar-winning “A Star Is Born” actor is in talks to play Harley Quinn in the follow-up to director Todd Phillips’ box-office smash about the maniacal Batman villain, according to multiple outlets.
The sequel won’t contain just laughs, but songs, too, as the film will reportedly be a musical.
But it will likely be a while before Gaga and Phoenix start two-stepping down a flight of stairs, as the project is still early in the development stage.
Phoenix, who won a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the titular baddie, has yet to officially sign on to the film, per The Hollywood Reporter, which notes that Warner Bros. is “deep into” negotiations with the star.
Phillips officially confirmed that a “Joker” sequel was a go earlier this month.
The director shared a cryptic Instagram post showing the cover page of a script titled “Joker: Folie à Deux” alongside a photo of Phoenix reading the material.
The title loosely translates into English as “shared psychosis” and seemingly refers to a mental disorder “affecting two or more individuals, usually the members of a close family.”
Phillips, who produced Gaga’s “A Star Is Born” remake, will once again direct and write the script alongside Scott Silver.
Gaga would be the latest performer to step into Harley Quinn’s laced pumps, as Margot Robbie has portrayed the character in multiple films to much acclaim, most recently appearing in 2020’s “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).” Kaley Cuoco voices the psychiatrist-turned-henchwoman in HBO Max’s animated series “Harley Quinn.”
“Joker,” however, takes place in a separate universe from the recent slate of DC superhero films, so the musical follow-up won’t step on any toes should Robbie choose to reprise the role.
Despite a relatively modest $60 million budget, the gritty origin story of the supervillian raked in more than $1 billion at the box office, becoming the first R-rated film to reach the milestone.
“Joker,” which also starred Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Robert De Niro, went on to garner 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.