Warner Bros. released a new teaser for Joker: Folie à Deux today, and although it only clocks in at a brief 30 seconds, it includes a first look at an important character.
Harvey Dent, as played by Harry Lawtey (HBO's Industry), can be seen briefly in the teaser, with Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) watching him in a press conference on TV. As most fans know, in DC lore, Dent eventually becomes the villain Two-Face, one of the most famous and enduring baddies in Batman's rogue gallery. Before that, he serves as Gotham's District Attorney.
Put on a happy face. Joker: Folie à Deux - only in theaters and @imax, October 4. #JokerMovie #FilmedForIMAX pic.twitter.com/CqDld31gVg
— Joker Movie (@jokermovie) September 3, 2024
It's worth mentioning, however, that writer/director Todd Phillips hasn't been shy about taking big swings with DC lore, having recently spoken about how Folie à Deux will ditch some of Harley Quinn's most famous hallmarks in Lady Gaga's portrayal of the character. The version of Harvey Dent in today's teaser is a younger one than we've seen in various past iterations, and shows him strongly denouncing the acts of Arthur and those who act in his name.
"Arthur Fleck is a monster who knew exactly what he was doing," Dent says in the trailer. "His depraved acts of violence led to riots by his followers, and they are still willing to commit acts of violence in his name."
While this is the first actual look at Dent in Folie à Deux, we basically already knew he'd be in the sequel. In a trailer back in July, eagle-eyed fans noticed that a line of dialogue — "They believe Arthur Fleck to be some kind of martyr" — was attributed to Dent in the closed captioning of the YouTube video. References to Dent were also seen in leaked set photos last year.
Lawtey, meanwhile, will join a long list of actors who've portrayed the District Attorney-turned-villain in live action. Previous Dent actors in film include Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight), Billy Dee Williams (Batman), and Tommy Lee Jones (Batman Forever).
We'll likely see a lot more of Dent when Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on October 4. In the meantime, check out Phillips' recent comments on why you shouldn't expect a third movie in his Joker series.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
