Lady Gaga has shared her thoughts on the bold new direction director Todd Phillips has taken in the highly anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux. Gaga, 38, stars alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the film as Harleen Quinzel, a unique take on the iconic villain Harley Quinn. Actor Joaquin Phoenix, 49, meanwhile, reprises the role of Arthur Fleck, better known as the Joker. In a recent interview, Gaga expressed her admiration for Todd Phillips, saying, “He’s made great strides with the whole concept and script and brought this boldness and complexity to the sequel to Joker.” She elaborated on the nature of the film, mentioning that it encompasses “music, dance, drama, courtroom drama, comedy, happiness and sadness.”

Speaking to Variety, Gaga also said that Phillips’ approach to the sequel reflected his creative vision and that he preferred originality to a conventional love story.

Phillips himself provided further insight into the film, speaking about the musical elements. The film will feature Phoenix and Gaga performing various song and dance numbers to classics such as Get Happy, For Once in My Life and That’s Life. However, he clarified that he would not call the film a musical in the traditional sense. “Most of the music in the film is actually just dialogue,” Phillips explained. “Arthur just doesn’t have the words to say what he wants to say, so he sings them instead,” he added.

Phillips also stressed that the film’s musical scenes are anything but a typical musical. “I just don’t want people to think it’s like ‘In the Heights,’ where the lady in the bodega starts singing and they take it out into the street and the police dance. No offense, because I loved ‘In the Heights,'” he said.

The original Joker film, released in 2019, followed the descent into madness of Arthur Fleck, an aspiring comedian and clown. The character’s transformation into the Joker was fueled by social and romantic rejection and eventually led to him becoming a cult antihero. Phoenix’s performance earned him an Oscar and the film became the most profitable R-rated film of its time.

However, that record has reportedly since been surpassed by “Deadpool & Wolverine” this year.

Fans can expect Joker: Folie à Deux to hit theaters on October 4, 2024, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the original film’s release.