Joker is helmed by The Hangover trilogy director Todd Phillips and stars Joaquin Phoenix. It is reportedly set outside the continuity of mainstream DC film universe. It will releases on October 4, 2019.
Alec Baldwin will play the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman’s father Thomas Wayne in Joaquin Phoenix’s upcoming DC movie, Joker. Joker is helmed by The Hangover trilogy director Todd Phillips and is reportedly set outside the continuity of mainstream DC film universe.
The addition of Thomas Wayne is interesting, since it means Bruce Wayne may also appear in either this movie or a sequel, and we may again witness a clash between the Dark Knight and his arch-nemesis. The Hollywood Reporter says, “But this being a movie project that will veer off-center from the traditional Batman canon, sources say the script paints Thomas Wayne as a cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.” That should not be a problem for Baldwin, who has won much acclaim for his portrayal of the US President on Saturday Night Live.
Joker is an origin movie and traces the rise of the Clown Prince of Crime. The logline says the movie would be “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”
The movie will follow a much more gritty path and delve into how the Joker became the maniacal criminal mastermind he is now known to be. The story is set in the 80’s and will follow more of a criminal drama route than seen in the comics. It is said that the film will be much more “darker and more experimental in tone and content.” The budget is set to be around 55 million dollars.
Actors like Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz and Marc Maron have already been cast in the film. De Niro will play a talk show host who is somehow instrumental in the origin of Joker. Zazie Beetz rose to prominence by playing Domino in Deadpool 2 alongside Ryan Reynolds. Marc Maron can currently be seen in the comedy TV series Glow.
Joker is slated to be released on October 4, 2019.