Joaquin Phoenix’s Standalone Joker Movie Officially Happening

Joker The Killing Joke
Joker The Killing Joke

Despite some reports going around that a Jared Leto-led Joker movie would be the next film from Warner Brothers and DC to feature the character, it looks like Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix are beating their counterpart to the punch.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Phoenix is officially signed on to play the Clown Prince of Crime and that production on the film begins this September. Philips will co-write the script with Scott Silver. THR also said that the production budget on the film will be a modest $55 million.

While DC has been following the Marvel model thus far with every film being connected, a standalone film like this would be the first to break the mold, and for me the DCEU is two for five, and the last time we saw the Joker in Suicide Squad may have been an all-time low for the character, so a new take on the character that’s separate from everything that’s come before is a breath of fresh air to me.

There is one disappointing factor about THR’s report, though. There was no mention of Martin Scorsese, who at one point was interested in producing the film, but it looks like he’s passed on the project.

THR did not give a release date for the film, but we may find that out soon since San Diego Comic Con is coming up fast.

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