Joaquin Phoenix's Joker movie will be "darker and more experimental"

The rumored Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix is happening, according to a new report. Numerous outlets are reporting the spinoff movie will be separate from the existing DC Extended Universe, which isn't confusing at all. Phoenix's portrayal will also be separate from Jared Leto's Joker, who audiences saw in Suicide Squad.

The movie will reportedly be a "gritty character study" that focuses on the Joker's life as an outcast. The Hollywood Reporter also claims the film will be a "broader cautionary tale" about a man who is disregarded by society.

As was rumored, The Hangover director Todd Phillips will helm the movie; Phillips also co-wrote the movie's script. No release date has been pinned, but we shouldn't expect anything until 2020 at the earliest. The report claims the film will be "different from other comic book superhero movies."

That means a tone that's more experimental in nature, with a focus on the drama rather than Joker's exploits as a villain. Fittingly—but also worryingly—the movie is being described as having a darker tone than audiences typically see. And here we thought Warner Bros. was trying to move its DC properties away from the dark side.

Joaquin Phoenix is a talented actor who has a lot to offer in the role. As one of geek culture's preeminent villains, Joker seems like a good fit for Phoenix's weirdness. Better, say, than Leto as the Joker—although he is reportedly filming his own standalone Joker movie.