With so many distinct stories being told involving DC Comics heroes and villains, one might assume that — for a grinning, face-painted example — the fate of Todd Phillips’ standalone sequel Joker: Folie À Deux wouldn’t have any direct effects on James Gunn’s Superman and the launch of the first chapter of the DCU.

Superman, formerly known as Superman: Legacy, is the first movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DCU – titled Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. The upcoming pic follows a younger Superman (David Corenswet) as he embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.

While James Gunn is one of the heads of DC Studios, he isn't to blame for Joker: Folie a deux's disastrous performance at the box office.

Christopher Nolan’s version of Joker in The Dark Knight, played by Heath Ledger, avoided this origin, focusing instead on a more realistic, psychological approach. The filmmaker also refused to let Joaquin Phoenix ‘s Joker carve a smile into his face.

Folie à Deux set to be one of Warner Bros.' biggest DC critical and commercial failures yet, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has smartly reminded fans that it's not his and Peter Safran's

Joker: Folie à Deux takes Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck in a surprising, musical direction before culminating in a deeply bleak ending. Back in Arkham following his trial, Arthur is told he has a visitor by a prison guard.