Summary

• The upcoming Joker sequel promises a dark, musical twist in the superhero genre.
• The Flash's musical episode showcases impressive talent and sets the stage for future musical adaptations.
• Joker 2, similar to the Arrowverse crossover episode, transitions to a musical-like movie with iconic songs and an all-star cast, promising box-office success.

Whoever said superhero fatigue is taking hold of the industry is only partly right because there's a lot to look forward to on the horizon. For one, there's James Gunn's entire DC reboot. Invincible has returned, and pretty soon, we'll be getting the return of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. But before that happens, Todd Phillips will bring his interpretation of the Joker back for another round. Joker: Folie à Deux will carry on the story of Arther Fleck from the 2019 film, but this time, his clown princess, Harley Quinn, will join him. Also, in a surprising change of pace, this sequel will feature many musical elements.

It will no doubt be a sad, hauntingly twisted affair. The last film was. But believe it or not, this isn't DC's first musical. The last one was on the small screen in CW's The Flash in Season 3, Episode 19, titled "Duet." The episode was a fun crossover with characters from the channel's other DC properties and some amazing musical work that will no doubt be made to look like a sunny day compared to the new Joker. Before the new film hits theaters, let's look back on this fun romp.

What Was The Flash's Musical Episode?

Those who have watched The Flash know that most episodes follow some goon or crook spreading havoc. In this case, it's a musically inclined villain known as the Music Meister (an actual character from the comics). He traps Barry and Kara in a bizarre dream world where everyone spontaneously breaks out in song, and the side characters resemble people they know in the real world.

And for whatever reason, this world is set in the 1940s with singing gangsters and star-crossed lovers in a two-dimensional story. They’ll have to play along if they want to escape. The Flash episode uses a unique framing device that shows how unrealistically the plot will move from song to song, with super friends Barry and Kara even pointing this out tongue-in-cheek, occasionally remarking how much easier things are in musicals.

The villain is played by none other than Glee’s Daren Criss, one of the more talented powerhouses of the series. He serves as one of The Flash’s more underrated villains, but his performance wouldn’t be as fun without the reunion with fellow Glee alumnus Melissa Benoist and Grant Gustin. By placing the two heroes in his fantasy world, the Meister can use their powers to rob banks, but as expected, he is eventually apprehended by the other heroes of S.T.A.R. Labs. However, the whimsical trickster’s real motives were to get the two to realize their love, apparently. It’s a little hokey, sure. But it leads to the episode ending in a stellar original number, seeing Barry and Iris reaffirm their love for one another.

The Music and the Talent Behind The Flash's 'Duet' Episode

As fun of an episode as "Duet" may be, the CW would not have been able to pull it off without the musical talents of its cast. There have been musical episodes of non-musical shows in the past (Scrubs and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), but where they differ from this DC original is that The Flash had incredible chops and music writers on their side, as opposed to fully autotuning actors to make them appear able to sing.

While on Glee, Gustin’s character Sabastian Smythe played Blain Anderson's (Darren Criss) villainous replacement as head of The Warblers, whereas this time around, Criss gets his revenge by trapping Gustin as Barry in an alternate reality. Meanwhile, Melissa Benoist played Marley Rose of Glee’s New Directions, having been introduced in the series' fourth season. Kara and Barry comprise the central duo for the episode, but others across the Arrowverse play a part as well.

Stage legends Jesse L. Martin (Joe West, The Flash), Victor Garver (Martin Stein, Legends of Tomorrow), and John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlin, Arrow) also guest star to provide their heavyweight vocal prowess, thanks to the writers of the show getting their pick of the expanded Arrowverse to create the perfect musical dream team. It’s also worth mentioning that the series manages to avoid the too-common habit of involving the less musically inclined cast members from joining in by having them contribute in other ways, either sitting on the sidelines or finding ways to contribute to the plot.

Regarding the music, the episode only has two original songs placed as needed for the plot, while the rest are covers. When we first enter the dream world, Barry finds Kara doing a soothing rendition of “Moon River,” as once sung by film legend Aubrey Hepburn in the classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s. They both carry "Duet’s" musical performances for most of the episode, with their first original song being “Super Friend” in a pitch-perfect and fun performance that also boasts some great dancing, most notably that of Gustin’s soft shoe.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul penned both original songs, with the last being a powerful ballad from Barry to Iris at the end of the episode after he and Kara escape the Meistro’s dream world. Still in the musical spirit, Barry croons out another marriage proposal for his long-time love in the justly named “Runnin’ Home to You.”

Pasek and Paul were the perfect composers for the two songs as they also come from a stage background. Their credits include Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman, and the Academy Award-winning La La Land. In preparation for "Duet," the duo was asked to compose a song that captures Barry’s sentiment in the marriage proposal, and whatever fans may have thought of the song, it was a great bow to an already fun episode. It may have been cheesy, but it fit the ever-romantic Barry like a glove.

Joker 2 and Transitioning to a Musical-Like Movie

The Flash’s "Duet" episode was a great addition to an already diverse show and a fun watch that fans can revisit for years, but it’s unlikely that the upcoming Todd Phillips sequel Joker 2 will be so light-hearted. There are two key similarities between the two. The first is that they are both DC properties. The second is they are both jukebox musicals, with the bulk of the track listing being covers. Other than these facts, the plot remains a mystery.

While not much is known, recent reports claim that at least 15 songs in Joker 2 will be renditions of well-known songs, one being “That’s Entertainment” from the hit 1953 musical The Band Wagon, which starred Broadway icon Judy Garland. However, that doesn’t close the door on Joker 2 having original numbers.

It’s also unknown who will be singing in the movie, aside from Lady Gaga. The pop icon is a 13-time Grammy winner who transitioned to Hollywood in the past decade. Her lead debut was in the smash-hit A Star is Born, in which she played a rising singer married to a troubled music star played by Bradley Cooper. It’s also a safe bet that Joaquin Phoenix will be singing. After all, he was nominated for playing Johnny Cash in Walk the Line.

Joker 2 is described as a drama with elements taken from Arkham Asylum, the iconic loony bin from the Batman comics. The cast will also include the returning Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich), and Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin). The film is undoubtedly a shoo-in to kill at the box office, but it’s a risk in itself for diverting from a straight drama to a musical.

That does not mean Joker 2 won’t be successful, though. Jukebox musicals tend to be highly successful, with examples being Mamma Mia and Moulin Rouge!, the latter of which was nominated for eight Oscars. And if nothing else, we can expect an outstanding performance from the two leads, both of whom are Oscar winners, and, above all else, some great musical performances. The Flash is streaming now on Netflix, while Joker 2 is heading to theaters on Oct. 4, 2024.