In a recent interview the director Todd Phillips said that his “Joker” will be nothing like we’ve seen before.
The news concerning the new “Joker” movie started to circulate around the web years ago, with people dreaming about various actors who could take on the role of the Prince Clown of Crime. In between the heated discussions, some of the most frequently mentioned names were Willem Defoe, Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal and a few more big shots. And now, it is one of the most anticipated films of the year.
After months of silence, we’ve all heard the news – Joaquin Phoenix is the new Joker.
A fantastic actor, wildly under appreciated and known for a lot of spectacular roles which included him going through rather mind-blowing transformations. As the trailer of “Joker” revealed earlier this year, this is no different in Todd Phillips’ movie.
What “Joker” is going to be like?
Todd Phillips claims that the movie will be orbiting far from anything from the comic books. In a short interview with Empire, he mentioned that Phoenix was all the way his “star to star” in the film. “Joker” is supposed to be a gritty thriller, far from anything that DC Comics has recently been doing.
The main character isn’t the iconic villain when he’s first introduced. The whole film is focused on his transformation, on becoming the Joker. Some details might probably be taken from “The Killing Joke”, the comic book that was the closest ever of becoming the origin story of the Joker. Still, Phillips claims it’s a movie about a guy, who, at some point in his life, reaches a brink of his own sanity. This, obviously, drives him mad.
I personally have a feeling that this new “Joker” will be closer to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Which is, essentially, a good thing. After years of razzmatazz and kitsch, misfires like “Suicide Squad” and miscasts like Henry Cavill, DC needs a film as successful and poignant as Nolan’s work. And there isn’t a single most loved character in their range than this make-up-wearing weirdo.
When will “Joker” premiere?
The movie is set for release in October, which kind of makes me think Phoenix is hungry for his long-due Oscar. It’s a perfect time to jump on the awards train and if only Phillips delivers a piece we all hope for, it’s going to be a huge contestant. At the end of the day, it’s that very role that brought Heath Ledger an Oscar posthumously.
