The latest movie about Gotham’s Jester of Genocide, starring Joaquin Phoenix, is taking fans back in time. And it starts with a scary first look at Phoenix as the Joker himself!
The Clown Prince of Crime
Director Todd Phillips is set to take the helm of a new Joker movie set to air in 2019. The film will feature Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime and how his character came to be. Fans got a first look of Phoenix as the villain for a screen test!
Phillips recently shared a clip on Instagram that showed Phoenix’s transformation into the nefarious character. In full clown makeup and the Joker’s signature green hair, Phoenix flashes a creepy smile towards the camera.
A Cautionary Tale
The film, simply titled Joker, is an origin story. Though there aren’t too many plot details, the movie follows the Joker, known then as Arthur, during the 1980s in Gotham City. Before his criminal start, Arthur was a struggling comedian who eventually turned to a life of crime out of frustration and lack of money.
Phillips, however, promised that the film would be an in-depth study of how the Joker truly came to be. The film is an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale,” he shared. The film will definitely be a chilling one as viewers see what was really going on in the Joker’s mind. Phoenix added about his character, “It feels unique, it is its own world in some ways, and maybe, mostly, it scares the f— s— out of me or something.”
Pressing Forward
Joker has not been without its share of struggles so far. With only $55 million, the movie has an abnormally smaller budget than other DC movies. The lowest budget DC movie of recent years was Wonder Woman with $149 million. Alec Baldwin, who was slated to play Batman’s father, Thomas Wayne, also dropped out due to scheduling issues.
Nonetheless, Phillips, Phoenix, and the rest of the cast and crew is continuing to film. Stars like Robert De Niro, Zazie Beets, and Marc Maron will star in the film as well. Joker is set to premiere October 4, 2019.
Watch a short clip from behind the scenes of Joker below!
