Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn are already set to bring their brand of chaos back to a Gotham City still recovering from the events of 2019's Joker, including a young Bruce Wayne. While it isn't clear if the young Wayne will return for the sequel, Joker: Folie a Deux, the latest trailer confirmed another infamous resident of Gotham will be appearing as the city wrestles with the long-awaited trial of Arthur Fleck.
Believe in Harvey Dent
The second trailer for Joker: Folie a Deux provides a better insight into the film, with Fleck's trial setting the stage for the mad romance that will unfold between him and Harleen Quinzel that appears to begin inside the walls of Arkham before spilling out into the streets of Gotham. It also provided looks at some of the supporting cast populating the sequel including Brendan Gleeson's Arkham security guard, a psychiatrist portrayed by Steve Coogan, and none other than Gotham's famed district attorney-turned-crime lord Harvey Dent, though it is not as clear who is portraying Dent.
Dent's inclusion in Joker: Folie a Deux was noticed by the DiscussingFilm X account, which shared an image of the trailer with subtitles that reveal Dent as one of the voices other than Fleck or Quinn that audiences hear early in the trailer.
His comments about Fleck's followers viewing him as a “martyr” instead of the “monster” he is hints that he could end up being the DA assigned to Fleck's trial in the film, itself. If this ends up being the case, audiences could end up seeing this director Todd Phillips' take on the origin of Two-Face.
In the comics, Harvey Dent was introduced as a Gotham City district attorney trying to prosecute infamous mob boss Sal Maroni when the mobster throws acid on Dent's face. The incident leaves half of Dent's face horribly scarred and disfigured, damage made only worse psychologically by the repulsion from society and even his own wife. It would ultimately lead Dent to a life of crime, becoming one of the most notorious crime bosses in Gotham City and one of Batman's most persistent, dangerous, and unstable foes.
Dent's character would be tweaked over the decades as the public learned more about mental health, with the villain becoming more of an allegory for dissociative identity disorder by presenting Dent and Two-Face as two entirely unique personalities.
From Comic to Screen
On screen, Joker: Folie a Deux will mark the third time Dent has graced the big screen in some fashion.
The first came in 1995's Batman Forever, with Tommy Lee Jones serving as the film's iteration of Two-Face. While the film was a success, Jones' performance was a common point of criticism as many critics felt it was over-the-top and leaned closer to being a knockoff of The Joker.
Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent in 2008's The Dark Knight, by comparison, was just one of many performances praised by critics at the time of release. He is shown to be a charismatic, fighting district attorney who is ultimately brought down to Joker and Batman's “level” due to the death of Rachel Dawes, with Dent ultimately succumbing to the idea that life is simply a game of chance and everyone has the same odds – 50/50.
Joker: Folie a Deux is scheduled to release in theaters on October 4, 2024.
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