Joker: Folie à Deux (score)
| Company type | Soundtrack album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | September 27, 2024 |
| Founder | Hildur Guðnadóttir |
| Products | Film score |
| Parent | WaterTower Music |
Joker: Folie à Deux (Score from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) represents the official film score for the 2024 release Joker: Folie à Deux, composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir. The album, which includes 19 pieces, was issued by WaterTower Music on September 27, 2024, following the earlier release of the lead single "There Is No Joker" on September 9.
Development
In January 2023, it was announced that Hildur Guðnadóttir, who previously composed the score for Joker (2019), would return to create the music for Folie à Deux. Both Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips highlighted the indispensable contribution of Hildur’s compositions in the original film. Phoenix remarked on how intimately the character Arthur Fleck is connected to the musical themes, while Phillips described her work as an essential storytelling component.
Hildur was provided with the script early in the process to begin crafting the score and received arrangements of songs to reinterpret through her distinctive musical lens, thereby enriching the film’s sonic character. Although audience anticipation was influenced by the initial film’s soundtrack, she retained artistic autonomy in shaping the sequel’s musical landscape.
While much of the foundational thematic content derived from the first movie, it underwent development with fresh motifs introduced for this chapter. As a musical film, Folie à Deux features musical performances whose elements are seamlessly incorporated into Hildur’s score, merging original score material with reimagined classic standards.
Release
On September 9, 2024, Hildur unveiled "There Is No Joker," a track lasting one minute and fifty-two seconds, serving as the album’s lead single. The full 19-track soundtrack was released on September 27, 2024—one week prior to the film’s premiere—through Warner Bros.’ WaterTower Music label.
Critical reception
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter described the score as "haunting." Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood commented that "[Guðnadóttir] strikes just the right notes once more." Martin Tsai at Collider characterized it as a "rich extradiegetic orchestral composition" with moments that are "occasionally stirring." Bill Bria of /Film emphasized how Guðnadóttir skillfully integrates her original score with classic songbook standards featured in the movie. Siddhant Adlakha from IGN called it an "eerie, booming soundtrack." The Film Stage praised it as a "deeply somber, cello-driven" score that adds significant emotional weight to every romantic melody and scene.
Personnel
- Hildur Guðnadóttir – cello, piano, percussion
- Jeff Atmajian – orchestration, conducting
- Rudy Brynac – editing
- Francesco Donadello – engineering, mixing, mastering
- George Drakoulias – music supervision
- Lena Glikson – editing
- Úlfur Hansson – sound design
- Tom Hardisty – engineering
- Noah Hubbell – additional mixing, engineering
- Hans Jóhannsson – sound design
- Alyssa Park – concertmaster
- Victoria Ruggiero Perez – editing
- Todd Phillips – executive producer
- Randall Poster – music supervision
- Jason Ruder – editing
- Sam Schwenk – engineering assistance
- Sandeep Sriram – art direction
- Gunnar Tynes – engineering assistance
- Christian Wenger – editing
Credits sourced from liner notes.
Accolades
| Award | Ceremony Date | Category | Honoree(s) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | September 7, 2024 | Soundtrack Stars Award | Hildur Guðnadóttir | Template:Won |