Fans of DC’s most notorious villain have been eagerly awaiting news about his standalone movie, and they’re finally getting one! Joaquin Phoenix has officially been cast as the Clown Prince of Crime in the upcoming origin story.
This announcement came as a surprise since it’s only been two years since we’ve seen Jared Leto as the Joker. Did Warner Bros. decide to show him the door after his performance in Suicide Squad received bad reviews? Well, not exactly. Leto might be getting his own standalone movie, despite Phoenix’s casting as Batman’s arch-nemesis.
You’re probably wondering how’s that possible, but here’s a catch – these two projects aren’t part of the same cinematic universe. Joker origin story starring Walk the Line star will reportedly be released under a different DC label than the studio’s flagship superhero films, such as Justice League.
This may sound confusing as hell, but we have hunch things will work out for the best. Joaquin Phoenix spent a lot of time debating whether he should take on the role or not. The fact he said “Yes” gives us hope since he’s been very picky about his projects in the last few years. His Joker movie’s been described as “exploration of a man disregarded by society, that is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale.” It’ll start shooting this fall and it’s reportedly aiming for darker and more experimental tone.
