The first official teaser trailer for the new Joker film has just been released, but fans can’t help but notice one thing.
Is that… Steve Coogan?
Now, we’re not for one second suggesting that an actor as talented as Middleton‘s very-own shouldn’t be booking roles left, right, and centre – especially following the success of his chilling turn as disgraced broadcaster, Jimmy Savile, in the BBC drama miniseries The Reckoning last year, which earned him a well-deserved BAFTA nomination – but we can’t exactly say we were expecting this’d be his next appearance.
Film and comic book fans have been highly-anticipating the release of the next instalment in the Joker franchise since the first film, Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix in his Oscar-winning lead role, came out to critical acclaim back in 2019.
And now, their wait is finally over, as the first trailer for the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, has just been unleashed onto the world ahead of its release in October.
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As you’d expect, within less than 24 hours since its release, the nearly-three-minute teaser trailer – which sees Phoenix reprise his role as Arthur Fleck / Joker, alongside Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn – for the upcoming musical psychological thriller film has already amassed several millions of views across all platforms it was shared on, and fans have been flocking in their thousands to social media and the comments sections to share their thoughts.
But, our personal favourite reactions to the trailer all lead back to one man… and that man, is Steve Coogan.
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Coogan steals the scene with his hard-hitting one line: “Tell us, what’s changed, Arthur?”
Of course, with this being merely a teaser trailer, and Coogan’s currently-unnamed role only expected to be a supporting one, it’s probably not surprising that his appearance in the trailer takes up just two seconds of time – but within those two seconds, it appears he’s certainly made an impression.
Film fans on social media have been quick to share their surprise and comical reactions to seeing Coogan in the trailer.
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“I can’t believe we live in a world where Steve Coogan and Lady Gaga are in a film together,” one fan wrote on X.
Another surprised comment reads: “Steve Coogan being in the Joker 2 trailer for 2 seconds is the strongest case for the film I’ve seen.”
"This Joker 2 trailer actually looks okay WAIT STEVE COOGAN?!?!"
A second fan commented: “I actually laughed out loud when Steve Coogan appeared in the Joker trailer,” while a third wrote: “Steve Coogan is the only reason I’ll be seated for Joker 2,” and a fourth added: “If this scene in the Joker 2 isn’t just Steve Coogan and The Joker seeing who does the better Michael Caine impression, then what the f**k are we even doing here.”
“Steve Coogan is in this, so Joker 2 is now part of the Alan Partridge Extended Universe,” another fan comically wrote on X.
Another fan wrote: “Steve Coogan caught me off guard.”
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Basically, if we’re to try and sum the overall reaction of fans up in one simple word, that word would have to be shock.
To be honest, we think this fan on X put it best: “Steve Coogan was the last person I expected to turn up in the Joker 2 trailer, but here we are.”
Joker: Folie à Deux is scheduled for a worldwide release on 4 October 2024.
Featured Image – Warner Bros. Pictures
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Hello Oriental opens new ‘seriously affordable’ Asian food hall at the Trafford Centre
Emily Sergeant
Manchester gem Hello Oriental is finally opening its new Asian food hall at the Trafford Centre this weekend.
The renowned East Asian street food hub has already taken Manchester city centre by storm since opening its original venue at Circle Square, just off Oxford Road, back in February 2022, and been has receiving rave reviews ever since – with critics notably calling the experience “a lot of fun” and “seriously affordable”.
But now, the Manchester-founded brand has chosen the Trafford Centre as the first UK shopping centre location to bring its trademark street food dining concept to.
There’ll be more than 100 delicious dishes for customers to choose from when the new site opens in the Upper Orient this Saturday.
Hello Oriental has opened a new Asian food hall at the Trafford Centre / Credit: The Manc Group
Hello Oriental owners and childhood best friends, Ricky Yip and Azim Kourah, say they have selected some of the most popular dishes from the Manchester city centre site’s extensive menu for the new Trafford Centre restaurant.
This means diners at the Trafford Centre can enjoy traditional dishes from across East Asia – including a wide range of Dim Sum, hearty main dishes like Taiwanese pork belly with rice, traditional favourites like beef Ho fun, and loads of different Cantonese roast meats.
There’ll also be a wide selection of street food available, like Korean fried chicken, loaded katsu chicken fries, and three varieties of sticky chicken wings.
There’s also plenty for the little Mancs to tuck into too, as there’ll be a full kid’s menu available at the new Trafford Centre site, with options for both those with “adventurous” junior palates, to those who prefer “more familiar” tastes.
“We’re so excited to open in the Trafford Centre and give shoppers the chance to try our dishes from across East Asia,” commented co-owner, Ricky Yip, ahead of the new opening.
“Many of the dishes on the menu were enjoyed by Azim and I growing up, cooked by my family, or served in family restaurants, and it’s wonderful to see other families come to Hello Oriental to enjoy these flavours.”
Hello Oriental will be opening at the Trafford Centre this Saturday (1 February), with thousands of prizes to give away to celebrate Lunar New Year.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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A coffee shop in Manchester is giving away hundreds of FREE croissants today
Emily Sergeant
Hundreds of croissants are being handed out for free today from a coffee shop in Manchester for a special reason.
In case you didn’t know, today (Thursday 30 January) is National Croissant Day, and apparently, Manchester is a city of serious pastry lovers, as the Cross Street branch of national coffee shop chain, Pret A Manger, is actually the top-selling Pret pastry shop in the whole of the UK – with the Chocolate Croissant, in particular, reigning supreme as the customer favourite.
Pret customers are said to devour around 17 million pastries a year, with the humble croissant being the most popular pick.
So, to celebrate Manchester’s love of sweet flaky pastries, and to mark National Croissant Day itself, Pret will be handing out a whopping 300 croissants for completely free of charge from its store on Cross Street, in the heart of the city centre.
A coffee shop in Manchester is giving away hundreds of free croissants today / Credit: PICRYL
You can claim one of the 300 free croissants with any coffee purchase today, but it’s only while stocks last, so you’ll need to be quick.
There’s three different croissants to choose from – the All Butter, Chocolate, or Almond Croissant.
“At Pret, we pride ourselves on serving our customers pastries freshly baked that same day,” commented Anna Tebbs, who is the UK Head of Food at Pret, ahead of the big giveaway.
“With around 17 million pastries sold each year, it’s clear our customers can’t get enough of these flaky favourites, so we’re thrilled to celebrate National Croissant Day by giving back to croissant fans with a special treat.
They’re only available for one day from Pret on Cross Street / Credit: Supplied
“Whether it’s a classic All Butter or a rich Croissant Almond, there’s a pastry for every taste, and a day like this is all about enjoying them to the fullest.”
To get your hands on a buttery flaky croissant to start your day, all you’ll need to do is visit the Cross Street Pret shop today, the earlier the better to be sure there’s still some left, and order any barista-made coffee drink, then you’ll get to pick which type of croissant you’d like to take away with you.
Emily Sergeant -
10th April 2024 
