After months of rumours linking him to the part, it has now officially been confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix has signed on to portray the Clown Prince of Crime in Warner Bros. and DC Films’ standalone Joker origin movie from director Todd Phillips (The Hangover).
The film, which is said to have a budget in the region of $55 million, will be separate from the DC Extended Universe, and is described by the studio as “an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”
Warner Bros. is yet to announce a release date for the film, but THR is reporting that filming is set to get underway in New York in September and that the movie could be ready for release in late 2019.
This isn’t the only Joker movie in the works at Warner Bros. and DC, as Jared Leto is also attached to a solo movie set within the DCEU, which will see him reprising his role from 2016’s Suicide Squad.
Are you looking forward to seeing Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the iconic Batman villain, or is Warner Bros. making a mistake by branching out into standalone movies at the same time as the DC Extended Universe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments…