Believe it or not, there's a new Joker movie on the horizon. As in, it's hitting theaters on October 4, which isn't all that far away. October is the perfect month to release a movie about a psychopath playing dress up.
Even if you're not a comic fan, you know who Joker is. Maybe your first introduction to him was Heath Ledger's haunting portrayal in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. Or perhaps you saw him way back in the 1960s Batman series, when he was played by Cesar Romero. Joker has been a part of media for decades, whether it be in movies, TV shows, or video games.
That level of notoriety has propelled Joker to become one of the most iconic villains of all time—on a par with Darth Vader from Star Wars and Miss Trunchbull from Matilda. Which makes the upcoming movie from Warner Bros. a huge deal. Can a movie about Batman's nemesis be interesting?
Why so serious?
Joker
Joker hits theaters on October 4, 2019
The new Joker movie will focus on Arthur Fleck, a down-on-his-luck stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime. Along the way, he takes on a dangerous persona and eventually becomes Batman's most infamous archenemy.
All the latest Joker news
April 3, 2019 - Joker trailer: Every secret and Easter egg
We took a deeper dive into the trailer and found some big secrets and Easter eggs. You can read more about what we found in the link below.
April 3, 2019 - Joker trailer debuts Joaquin Phoenix's disturbing take on the famed DC villain
The first trailer for Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is here and it is not for the faint of heart. The movie promised to go dark, and the trailer peels back every layer of the dark story in disturbing fashion.
Joker revolves around Arthur Fleck, an idealist stand up comic who has run into some tough times. As his life takes a turn for the worst, so does his mind as he slowly descends into madness.
"Is it just me? Or is it getting crazier out there," says Fleck as his world begins to crumble.
In refreshing fashion, the trailer doesn't set up the story for us very well, which means there are no spoilers. We just get the briefest of shots of the Arthur interacting with the people around him like his mom, possible love interest Sophie Dumon (Zazie Beetz), and appearing on Murray Franklin's (Robert De Niro) TV show. We do get a small taste for Phoenix's interpretation of the Joker's iconic laugh. It's maniacal as ever.
The trailer does make one thing clear: Arthur Fleck will inevitably turn crazy and in turn, become the Joker, bringing his new kind of madness to Gotham City.
"I used to think that my life was a tragedy," says Fleck. "But now I realize it's a comedy."
Joker hits theaters October 4.
April 2, 2019 - Here's the first Joker poster, teaser trailer coming tomorrow
Director Todd Phillips has released the first poster for the film, and it features actor Joaquin Phoenix dressed up in full Joker makeup. It's a sinister and violent image, in truth, with what appears to be blood on Joker's face.
Along with the poster, Phillips said that the film's first teaser trailer will drop tomorrow, likely in the early morning.
All the big details
Joker trailer
The first teaser trailer for Joker paints a dark picture for the movie's titular character, who has run into tough times. Soon enough, it looks like things become overwhelming, prompting the Joker to descend into madness.
"I used to think that my life was a tragedy," says Arthur Fleck, who later become Joker. "But now I realize it's a comedy."
Joker release date
Joker hits theaters on October 4, 2019. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. hasn't said how long the movie will actually be. Considering this is an origin story, runtime is expected to be around two hours.
Joker plot
What we know so far is that the movie will take place in the '80s, which means it'll be an origin story and take place long before Joker starts tormenting Batman. Which will be interesting, because we rarely see one without the other.
Before Joker becomes Joker, he'll be known as Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who is disregarded by society. Soon, he's driven insane and takes on the persona of Joker, a psychotic anarchist who wreaks havoc across Gotham.
We've seen some images from the set indicating that Joker has become the face of a revolution. Apparently, he motivates people to protest against capitalism and the rich, connecting with those who feel under-represented in society.
In the comics, films, and video games, Joker has always attracted a certain crowd, and it looks like the newest film will be no different.
Joker cast
Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix, best known for his work in films like The Gladiator, Inherent Vice, and Her. It's a bold choice, but Phoenix has proven himself a capable actor in a variety of roles, someone who can quietly boil with rage and also be tender and vulnerable.
- Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker
- Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin
- Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond
- Bill Camp as a cop in the Gotham City Police Department
- Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck
- Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne
- Glenn Fleshler as a comedian
- Dante Pereira-Olson as Bruce Wayne
- Douglas Hodge as Alfred Pennyworth
- Marc Maron as Ted Marco
- Shea Whigham as a stripper
What happened to Jared Leto?
Here's where things get tricky. In Suicide Squad, Joker was played by Jared Leto. Breaking from the character's iconic look and style, Leto's portrayal turned Joker into more of a gothic punk, someone you'd see on a fashion show runway, rather than committing crimes.
Leto's version was also more gangster than evil mastermind. It was a tonal and stylistic choice from Leto and director David Ayer that just didn't quite payoff. Compared to Ledger's take on the character, who was menacing and dangerous, many fans would prefer to forget that Leto's version ever happened.
Does it connect to the DCEU?
The film doesn't share the same universe as the DCEU, hence why someone else is taking on the Joker role. That means we won't ever see Jason Momoa's Aquaman or Ben Affleck's Batman appear in a film with Phoenix's Joker.
It's unclear if Warner Bros. has plans to expand on Pheonix's Joker in later films that are separate from the DCEU. It would be pretty weird to see the studio build two separate connected universes, but if Phoenix's take on the Joker connects with audiences, I wouldn't be surprised to see him to appear in more movies.
Why so serious?
Joker
Joker hits theaters on October 4, 2019
The new Joker movie will focus on Arthur Fleck, a down-on-his-luck stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime. Along the way, he takes on a dangerous persona and eventually becomes Batman's most infamous archenemy.
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