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The big DCEU films next year may be Wonder Woman 1984 and Shazam!, but a smaller film is also in the works in the form of Todd Phillips’ Joker. The movie is currently undergoing production, and Phillips has posted the first image of lead Joaquin Phoenix as ‘Arthur.’
Some set photos have also come out online, and one video even has Arthur antagonizing a clown. Check them out:
https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1041418705513660416
https://twitter.com/saiprasad_511/status/1041400096410103808
I also don’t know if this is just a joke, but Kevin Smith says that the Joker’s full name in the film is actually Arthur Fleck–as in A. Fleck. It’s a funny joke, but I can actually imagine the movie keeping that name.
It’s worth noting that this movie will be the first for the DCEU that will be set outside the main established timeline. That means, this Joker isn’t the same as Jared Leto’s in Suicide Squad, and that we shouldn’t expect him to run into Ben Affleck’s Batman or Henry Cavill’s Superman.
Unlike the big budget extravaganzas that superhero films are usually known for, Joker is a film with a smaller budget which aims to be more grounded and gritty. Don’t expect any huge explosions or space battles here—just some experimental character studies.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t onboard with the idea to suddenly make a film set in an alternate timeline, but now I’m kind of warming up to it. Marvel Studios may be the lead when it comes to superhero films, but they haven’t tried something as experimental as an alternate reality yet. If anything, Joker opens doors for more surreal stories like Superman: Red Son or Batman: Red Mist. Some are even thinking they should follow up Michael Keaton’s Batman with a Batman Beyond movie.
What a time to be alive.
Joker hits cinemas Oct. 4, 2019.
