By The Hangover director Todd Phillips and legendary film producer Martin Scorsese are an unlikely pair still making an unlikely project: a Joker origin movie. And with that unlikely idea comes an unlikely casting fantasy in actor Joaquin Phoenix.
The project was initially eying frequent Scorsese collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio to play the Clown Prince, in what is supposed to be a gritty, dark and violent film separate from the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel and a standalone Joker and Harley Quinn movie with Jared Leto. If Phillips is able to ultimately nab Phoenix for the role, this would be his first comic book movie bout, as Phoenix previously turned down the roles of Lex Luthor for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange.
So to summarize, we are getting at least three separate film projects from Warner Bros. and DC about the Joker. One must wonder what kind of chaotic nonsense is happening in that movie studio, which is presumably run by even more unhinged, irrational and clownish men with unfortunate forehead tattoos.
Joaquin Phoenix in Talks to Play the Joker in Todd Phillips’ Standalone Movie [Variety]