We are finally getting a Joker origin film. While this will be DC and Warner Brothers second attempt at reviving the evil clown we all have grown to love, it will be a much different adaptation than the one we’re used to. After a year of rumors circulating around this film, we finally have some details regarding the standalone movie.
First of all, Joaquin Phoenix will star as the Joker in the stand-alone film. Phoenix who has had a decorated career playing all types of characters, including the lonely guy in ‘Her’, a Roman general in ‘Gladiator’ and even Johnny Cash in ‘Walk The Line’ will have, in my opinion, his toughest task ahead taking on the insane comic book character. This isn’t the first time Phoenix has been considered for a comic book character as he was supposed to be Doctor Strange before Benedict Cumberbatch was chosen. Regardless, I think the addition of Phoenix will bring on a new element to the character we haven’t seen before.
The film is set to be a stand-alone, which means that it will not be apart of the bigger picture in the DC Universe. Todd Philips, the filmmaker behind the Hangover series, Project X and War Dogs will helm the film as both a director and co-writer. The other co-writer is Scott Silver who wrote 8 Mile, The Fighter & The Finest Hours so we know the script is in good hands. Silver described the script as ‘an exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale.”
This will not be a superhero movie. It will not have a big budget. It is said to take on a much darker and grittier version of the character (which already says a lot about the film) and it will most likely be a mob/crime inspired film. In a lot of adaptations, especially Batman’s ‘The Killing Joke’, we get to see the origin of the joker. A failed comedian who gets tied up with the mafia in order to help his family. While that may not be the adaptation we see on-screen, there is a good chance that we won’t see Phoenix turn into the Joker until the very end of the movie. This is an origin story, so it should be treated as such.
With a $55 million dollar budget, we shouldn’t be expecting any Batman or other Gotham characters like Harley Quinn either. There is no release date yet but the film is set to start filming this fall. With the San Diego Comic Son just a week away, we might be able to expect more information on the film coming, but for now, that’s all we got!
Are you excited to see Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker? Do you think it’s a good idea to have 2 Jokers? Let us know @DefPen!
