
Way back in February we heard that Joaquin Phoenix was in talks to star as The Joker in an upcoming origin movie, and today The Hollywood Reporter says that it’s a done deal.
The Joker will be part of a new brand of DC Comics movies at Warner Bros. and won’t be connected to the DCEU. Instead, it will be a much lower budget movie (in the $55 million range) and “more experimental in tone and content” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Joker will be an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale,” Warner Bros. said.
The Hangover’s Todd Phillips is directing The Joker. He also co-wrote the script with The Fighter’s Scott Silver. We had heard that the legendary Martin Scorsese would be producing the movie, but that news wasn’t confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter today.
The Joker will begin shooting this September in New York City. A release date hasn’t been set at this time.
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter