Another day, another ‘Joker’ newsy tidbit. Fresh off the “reveal” of what Joaquin Phoenix will look like as the titular character in the ‘Batman’ spin-off film (spoiler alert — he looks like Joaquin Phoenix with shaggy hair and ugly clothes), we have a bit of casting news to share with you, dear reader. And while the name Brett Cullen might not be the sexiest name to appear in the cast that includes Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz, his role seems to be one of controversy — Thomas Wayne.
Yes, Cullen has taken over for the role that was vacated by Alec Baldwin, who left ‘Joker’ due to “scheduling conflicts,” according to The Wrap. If you want to read between the lines and put on your tin-foil hat, like I tend to do, it’s clear those “conflicts” included severe backlash that came the actor’s way when it was revealed that the role of Thomas Wayne is *rumored* to have a Donald Trump-esque slant.
Anyway, Cullen is a character actor that has a decades-spanning career that includes just about every TV show imaginable and major films like “42,” “Wyatt Earp,” and “Apollo 13.” This is definitely not Cullen’s first brush with comic book properties. The actor had roles in Nolan’s Joker-less “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Ghost Rider,” and the ‘80s “Incredible Hulk” TV series.
Will Cullen’s Thomas Wayne, who is obviously the future-dead father of Bruce, be the Trump proxy that people have assumed? That’s still to be determined. Through all the reports and speculation surrounding the Todd Phillips-directed “Joker,” all that we do know is the very brief descriptions given by the talent involved and the fact that Phoenix stars.
All that’s left to figure out is how much freedom the cast and crew are going to be given adapting one of the biggest comic book characters for the big screen. Will this be the bright, colorful, comic book-y “Joker” origin that fans are clamoring for? Or, more likely, will this be the moody, dark, character study of a man losing his mind and adopting face paint and a creepy laugh while murdering innocent people? Any bets on how long it takes for Phoenix to be in full-Joker makeup? I’m guessing it’s an Act 3 scenario.
“Joker” hits theaters on October 4, 2019.