Lady Gaga is officially in The Joker Sequel

First a Chromatica Ball, and now a psychosexual pas-de-deux. Lady Gaga has officially signed on to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Madness for Twothe sequel to Todd Philip‘s Oscar-winning blockbuster The Joker.

Lady Gaga announced the casting in a video on her official Twitter page. Silhouettes of Phoenix and Gaga slow dance across a red background while an instrumental version of the jazz standard “Cheek to Cheek” plays in the background. The two silhouettes dance together while Phoenix’s laughter can be heard in the background above the title card. The final image reveals the film’s expected release date of October 4, 2024.

the Joker was an international sensation and became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, grossing over $1.07 billion worldwide. It received 11 Oscar nominations and won two trophies: for Phoenix as well as composer Hildur Gudnadottir, who won for best score. Phoenix won his second best actor Oscar for acting Arthur Fleckthe emotionally disturbed stand-up comedian and professional clown who eventually transforms into the titular DC villain.

In June, Joker Manager Todd Phillips shared a photograph on Instagram of Phoenix reading the finished script Madness for two. Gaga has been rumored to star opposite Phoenix in the film since earlier this summer. Many believe she will portray Harley Quinn, Fleck’s psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, who falls for him and becomes a partner in crime.

The title of the sequel, Madness for two, refers to a shared psychosis or delusional disorder that is passed from one individual to another. The sequel has been rumored to be a musical, and given Gaga’s casting, it looks like it’s true. She won an Oscar for Best Original Song for writing “Shallow.” A star is born in 2019, which she also starred in. She was also nominated for Best Actress in the same year.

The news of Gaga’s casting comes during a difficult week for Warner Bros and DC, which announced they were scrapping the $90 million, nearly completed Batgirl films, as well as removing six original films from its streaming platform, HBO Max. But maybe a Gaga and Phoenix supervillain musical is just what the struggling studio needs.