10 amazing movies like Joker to watch before Joker 2

Before the musical sequel with Arthur Fleck and Harley Quinn drops, there’s plenty of movies like Joker you can watch to prep for the mad times ahead in Joker 2.

Whether it’s a Martin Scorsese crime drama or a romantic epic, there’s many influences that’ll no doubt make themselves known in Joker: Folie à Deux.

A musical and an exploration of shared madness, the new movie will put a whole new spin on the Clown Prince of Crime, meaning it’s probably worth doing a bit of homework before you check out the next step in Arthur Fleck’s revolution.

Luckily, we’ve picked out all the best movies like Joker you should watch before Joker 2.

The Batman (2022)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Joker screening without catching up on some of the latest Batman lore. Since The Batman is the closet Caped Crusader movie we have to Arthur Fleck’s universe, then it seems fitting that Matt Reeves’ dark take on Gotham should be one of your first pairings.

Of course, The Batman has its own Joker (the unofficially introduced Barry Keoghan version, as seen in Arkham, but that doesn’t mean the two are completely unrelated. Without a doubt, the Jokerverse and The Batman are some of the most unrelentingly violent installments in the Batman world yet. In both, Gotham is a hive of scum and villainy.

The King of Comedy (1982)

20th Century Fox

The correlation between Joker and The King of Comedy has been talked about to death, so it should be no surprise that it features on this list. With both Arthur Fleck and Rupert Pupkin serving as struggling, aspiring comedians who have more dreams than good sense. They both develop hateful attitudes towards a talk show host, and of course, Robert De Niro is in both movies.

They’re both painful explorations of two men who have the same goal, while trying to achieve it through very different means. In that sense, both stories are a violent, cynical tragedy, that uses laughs to emphasize the crummy lives of Arthur and Rupert.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Columbia Pictures

When you think of an alienated man living in the grimy heart of a downtrodden city, is there any other film that comes to mind than Taxi Driver? If there was, it would probably be Joker. Taxi Driver made “the loner” one of the greatest subjects of cinema, and Joker clearly capitalizes on that idea.

Martin Scorsese’s masterclass in alienation and loneliness mirrors that of Arthur Fleck’s experience. As he lives in a city that seems to completely forget here’s there, his only way to become seen is to resort to extreme viewers, even as he unknowingly inspires an entire movement of violence. When it comes to these two movies, they’re both reflections of each other.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Another pre-exciting Batman entry on the list, The Dark Knight is the perfect preamble to your Joker 2 viewing. The duel between Batman and Joker has been at the forefront since the characters were first created, and Christopher Nolan‘s black-tinted exploration of this relationship is one of the best on-screen versions.

It’s a great viewing to fully understand the dynamics between the supervillain and the hero, and watching Heath Ledger’s legendary performance is always a good idea. Not for comparison’s sake, but it’s enticing to watch two entirely different performances to see the evolution of the criminal mastermind. One’s a frantic madman, the other a giggling mess.

American Psycho (2000)

Lionsgate

On the surface, American Psycho is one of the great slasher movies, telling the tale of a successful businessman who spends just as much time covered in blood as he does in expensive suits. But underneath the shiny glare, there’s an exploration of delusion, the folly that comes with status and power, and meaningless wealth.

It’s also a story of a man who lives inside his head, judging the world around him for how it sees (or fails to see) him. While Arthur Fleck and Patrick Bateman couldn’t be more different, both are obsessed with image and become more and more disillusioned with the empty world they both find themselves craving.

A Star Is Born (2018)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Lady Gaga isn’t new to the task of being on screen, and A Star Is Born is arguably the film that changed her entire career trajectory. It’s technically a musical, and Gaga gets to show off her vocal chops while putting in a genuinely moving performance as a star on the rise who struggles with personal demons.

If you’re one of those who doubt her ability to take on Harley Quinn, then A Star Is Born might just change your mind. No, she’s not wielding a cartoonish mallet, but she is struggling with her sudden rise to fame, all while attempting to deal with her husband’s notoriety and diminishing grasp on reality. Sounds like someone Arthur Fleck knows, right?

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Whether you love a musical or hate it, it’s an unavoidable fact that Joker 2 is going to have show tunes. As such, it makes sense to get a musical education before going in, and Sweeney Todd is a violent and vengeful story that serves as a great warm-up. The Stephen Sondheim musical (here directed by Tim Burton) isn’t for everyone, but hey, neither is Joker.

The story of a man gone mad in his quest for revenge isn’t too far removed from Arthur Fleck’s journey of self-discovery and standing up for himself, and both are just as gruesome. Although Sweeney Todd might be an original work, the two musicals are proof that even the most grim of subjects can withstand a couple of songs.

City Lights (1931)

United Artists

Charlie Chaplin’s work often disguises social or political jabs under the farce of physical comedy, and City Lights is no exception. The story of a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl, it follows the man as he gets mistaken for someone far wealthier, and goes about trying to make this perception a reality.

Likewise, one of the main themes in Joker is Arthur’s disillusion with society and how it treats him. While nobody is inclined to mistake Arthur for anyone he’s not (they’re more likely to forget about him altogether), Arthur attempts to present himself as anything other than himself; a successful comedian, a love interest, and a man free of insecurities.

Mean Streets (1973)

Warner Bros. Pictures

While the plot of Mean Streets might be more akin to the mafia-based antics of The Penguin, or even The Batman, it’s undeniable that it’s one of the films that inspired Todd Phillips’ depiction of Gotham. The parallels between Joker and several Scorsese films (as evidenced by this list) are obvious, with the setting and atmosphere clearly channeling the filmmaker’s deeply immersive portrayal of New York.

Scorsese even revealed that he’d been in the running to direct Joker, but dropped out for “personal reasons.” Though he still cited the movie as being “remarkable work”, you ought to do your due diligence and go on a Scorsese binge to see how he might have brought the world of Gotham to life.

The Man Who Laughs (1928)

Universal Pictures

It’s hard to think that a film from the ’20s might have much in common with anything Todd Phillips has to put out, but really, the theme of being an outsider and being ostracized by society has always featured on the screen.

Based on the Victor Hugo novel, The Man Who Laughs is about a disfigured man (who’s been mutilated to have a permanent smile on his face) who becomes a subject of humiliation. It’s also a love story, though the romance is often disguised by expressionist horror imagery and darker details.

If you’re looking for a real connection, you’ll probably find it in Arthur and Harley’s relationship, and how society looks down on them.

Those are all the movies like Joker you should watch before Joker: Folie à Deux, which arrives on October 4, 2024.

Until then, check out all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows. You can also learn more about how to watch all the Batman movies, and find out what we think are the best superhero movies of all time.