A sequel to hit comic book movie Joker is on the way, likely with director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix reteaming, according to reports.
The news comes as the controversial Batman villain origin story has made more than US$1 billion at the global box office and is currently the 43rd highest-grossing film ever.
The Hollywood Reporter says it has learned "a sequel is on the way" and that "Phillips is in talks to reprise his role as director for a second Joker outing".
The report also says Joker writer Scott Silver is in negotiations for the sequel and that Warner Bros has "options in place" for Phoenix.
Joker was intended to be a standalone, spinoff film that's not connected to the characters or storyline of the current DC Extended Universe, which includes the Joker character in films like Justice League and Suicide Squad.
But the film's box office success means Joker 2 is almost inevitable.
Phillips recently gave an idea of what a sequel would be like.
"It couldn't just be this wild and crazy movie about the 'Clown Prince of Crime'. It would have to have some thematic resonance in a similar way that this does," he told the LA Times.
"Because I think that's ultimately why the movie connected, it's what's going on underneath. So many movies are about the spark, and this is about the powder. If you could capture that again in a real way, that would be interesting."
Neither Warner Bros, Phillips or Phoenix have responded officially on the Hollywood Reporter's story.
