It' official -- Warner Bros. has confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix will be the next face of 'The Joker'. Although Leonardo DiCaprio was also approached to play the role, it is the "Her" star who will step into character as Batman's arch-enemy. Joaquin Phoenix follows previous "Jokers" Jared Leto (Suicide Squad in 2016), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight in 2008) and Jack Nicholson (Batman in 1989).
The movie will be helmed by American director Todd Phillips (The Hangover, War Dogs), who penned the script with Scott Silver. Production on the film, which does not yet have a title, is set to start in September in New York with a budget of around $55 million.
This latest film about the Joker's antics promises something new, and will be different from other adaptations of the comic book. The plot will apparently focus on the Gotham City bad guy in a darker and more experimental way, more akin to a crime drama. The picture, which doesn't yet have an official title, could land in theaters late in 2019.
The full cast is yet to be revealed. As for the release date, The Hollywood Reporter suggests that the "Joker" standalone could be in theaters at the end of 2019, if all goes to plan.
This production does not appear to stop Warner Bros. working on a similar project with Jared Leto as the supervillain. The actor previously played the DC Comics character in David Ayer's 2016 movie Suicide Squad, which also starred Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
Joaquin Phoenix was previously considered for the role of Lex Luthor in Batman V. Superman, to no avail. After picking up an award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Lynne Ramsay's A Beautiful Day, the American actor now stars in Gus Van Sant's latest movie, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot, out July 13, and the first English-language film from French director Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and John C. Reilly.
(With AFP Relaxnews inputs)
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