Joaquin Phoenix Confirmed To Play The Joker In New Origin Film

Joaquin Phoenix was rumoured to be Warner Bros.’ top choice to play The Joker in […]

Joaquin Phoenix was rumoured to be Warner Bros.’ top choice to play The Joker in an upcoming origin film that lives outside the current D.C. Extended Universe, and now it’s official. The You Were Never Really Here actor is set to assume the role of the iconic Batman villain in a new standalone D.C. film.

The Joker origin story will be directed by Todd Phillips, who also co-wrote the script with Scott Silver. Warner Bros. describes the forthcoming feature as an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

 

The Joker origin story is expected to be a darker film, and could hit theatres in 2019. Jared Leto, who portrayed The Joker in the 2016 critical failure Suicide Squad, is expected to reprise the role in a separate Joker film as well.

This development certainly doesn’t lend any clarity to the convoluted DCEU, but Phoenix is a very nice addition to the family, even if it’s a one-off.