Warner Bros. Greenlights Todd Phillips’ Joker Origin Film Starring Joaquin Phoenix

Warner Bros.’ first step to making non-continuity DC Films is underway. The studio has officially greenlit the untitled Joker origin movie starring Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime.

The Joker film will be helmed by The Hangover Trilogy’s Todd Phillips, from a script written by Phillips and The Fighter scribe Scott Silver. Although details about the Joker movie are kept under wraps, fans are assuming that it’s a retelling of the famous comic book line “The Killing Joke,” which is what most fans think is a perfect Joker origin story. THR reports that the movie will focus on the Batman villain’s descent into insanity, calling it an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale.”

What’s interesting about the Joker movie is that it only has a meager budget of $55 million, significantly lower than most of the films in the DC Extended Universe. But then again, this film is going to be under a new brand of DC movies that don’t necessarily follow a continuity. The new banner seeks to expand the story of other DC characters apart from Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and primarily the Justice League. The lowered budget also seems to be a smart move by the studio, following the recent demise of the box office flop that is 2017’s Justice League.

Warner Bros. is yet to announce a release date, but the Joker origin movie is said to be grittier and resembles a crime drama more than the superhero genre. Since it’s a standalone Joker film, THR also says that it’s “meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content.” That could also mean that Batman’s appearance seems very unlikely, but we might speaking too soon.

The studio also has another Joker movie in development, this time starring Jared Leto, who first appeared in Suicide Squad. It’s a bit confusing because this other film belongs in the DCEU. But hey, this is Warner Bros., and anything can happen on their watch.