How to watch
Joker Movie Watch Order in the correct order
How to watch the Joker movies in order
Last updated: November 6 2026
Written by: ChronoChris
Todd Phillips' Joker films strip away the capes and give Gotham's most famous villain a gritty, standalone origin. With a sequel that picks up right where the first film ends, knowing the order keeps Arthur Fleck's story intact.
Joker shocked audiences in 2019 by turning a comic book villain into a grim character study, earning Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award and grossing over a billion dollars worldwide. Set apart from the wider DC film universe, the story follows Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian whose descent into violence sparks unrest across a decaying Gotham City. In 2024 the story continued with a bold musical follow-up co-starring Lady Gaga as Harleen 'Lee' Quinzel.
🕐 Release Order
The Joker duology is short and self-contained, so release order is the natural way to follow Arthur's journey from the first film's breakdown to the courtroom drama of the sequel.
- Joker (2019)
- Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Because the second film opens with Arthur already confined at Arkham State Hospital after the events of the first movie, there is no hidden prequel or side story to slot in between the two releases.
📖 Story Chronology
In story order, Joker covers Arthur's transformation and the infamous talk-show appearance, while Folie à Deux follows his trial and his relationship with Lee. Chronology and release order are identical.
- Joker (2019)
- Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Which Order Should You Choose?
Watch them in release order, full stop. Folie à Deux leans heavily on callbacks to the first film's key scenes, and its trial revisits Arthur's crimes in detail, so it plays poorly without that context. If you love the darker, grounded tone, follow up with other Batman films for very different takes on Gotham and its villains, from Tim Burton's gothic fantasy to Christopher Nolan's crime-thriller trilogy. Just remember these two films are their own universe and do not connect to the DCEU or the newer DC Studios slate.
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