Does [SPOILER] Really Die in Joker: Folie à Deux?

There are few comic book movies these days that aren’t interested in setting up other projects. However, by the end of Joker: Folie à Deux, it’s clear that Todd Phillips and Co. had a very specific vision in mind. So, does Arthur Fleck really die in Joker: Folie à Deux?

Arthur Fleck’s Death in Joker: Folie à Deux, Explained

Arthur spends the majority of the latest Joker movie on trial – both literally and figuratively. His main argument is that Arthur and Joker are two separate entities, and they should be treated as such. However, the people of Gotham want justice, including those in Arkham Asylum. It all comes to a head toward the end of the film when Arthur returns to Arkham after losing Harley and meets the end of a knife.

It’s pretty clear that Arthur dies after being stabbed by another inmate, with his attacker then turning the blade on himself and cutting his face, potentially opening the door for another Joker. However, everyone knows that Arthur isn’t a very reliable narrator, constantly creating fantasies in his head that are open for interpretation. So, it seems reasonable to believe that his death could be another trick, one to gain sympathy from the audience and fool them ahead of the next movie.

Comments from director Todd Phillips prior to the movie’s release shoot down that theory, though. “It was fun to play in this sort of sandbox for two movies, but I think we’ve said what we wanted to say in this world,” he told Variety.

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Without a third movie in mind, it seems as if Arthur’s death in Joker: Folie à Deux is going to stick, and that’s probably for the best. After all, Matt Reeves already set up a new version of The Clown Prince of Crime in The Batman, and James Gunn and Peter Safran are surely going to want to incorporate the character in some way in the DC Universe. That doesn’t leave much room for Arthur Fleck and his version of Gotham.

At least audiences will always have this version of Joker and all the wackiness that surrounded him. It’s safe to say there will never be another take on the character quite like Joaquin Phoenix’s.

And that’s whether Arthur Fleck really dies in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Joker: Folie à Deux is in theaters now.