It’s the worst kept secret in Hollywood right now. Yes, as we’ve been reporting for what feels like months now, Joaquin Phoenix is signed on to play the Joker in a new solo film from Warner Bros. and DC Films. The film, which is going to be written and directed by Todd Phillips has yet to be officially announced, but that hasn’t stopped people from talking about it. And the person everyone wants to talk to, Phoenix, is finally opening up about why he is finally making the jump to comic book films, and why he chose the Joker.
In an interview with Collider, Phoenix dropped the coy maybe-he-will-maybe-he-won’t act and finally talked about what drew him to the Joker and if he was worried about tackling an iconic role:
“I take a lot of time and consideration when making decisions and what I’m gonna work on always. So, in some ways, the process, which is obviously reading a script and meeting a filmmaker and then continuing to have meetings and discussions with Todd [Phillips]. I think he’s very impressive and he seems to have a very interesting understanding of this world and what he’s trying to say. And so there is something very appealing about that and working with him on this particular project. It feels unique, it is its own world in some ways, and maybe, mostly, it scares the fucking shit out of me or something. It might as well be the thing that scares you the most.”
This isn’t the first time that Phoenix has been close to comic book filmmaking. The actor was in discussions to play Doctor Strange, but reports said he wasn’t interested in signing on for the muli-film deal. And to hear Phoenix explain it more, it appears that his first step into comic book films has to do with wanting to try something different…and cheaper:
“Three or four years ago, I called my agent and said ‘Why don’t they want to take one of these characters and just make a lower budget film about it, a movie but a character study, and why not take one of the villains?’ And I thought, ‘You can’t do the Joker, because, you know, it’s just you can’t do that character, it’s just been done.’ So I was trying to think of other characters, and he said ‘I’ll set up a general meeting with Warner Bros.’ And I said ‘I’m not gonna go, I can’t go to a general meeting.’ So I completely forgot about it, and so then I heard about this idea, I was like, ‘Oh that’s so exciting, that’s the kind of experience I wanted to have, with a movie based on a comic character.’ I felt like you could get something on screen.”
So, what can we expect from the “Joker” film? Reports have said that this is a more gritty, criminal underworld take on the character. It’s been rumored that the film will take place in the ‘80s and completely out of the normal DCEU continuity. Other than that, not much is known. And listening to Phoenix talk about the film, it appears we should be bracing ourselves for a Joker character study:
“I wouldn’t quite classify this as like any genre. I wouldn’t say it’s a superhero movie, or a studio movie or a … It feels unique, and I think more then anything, and probably the most important thing, is Todd seems very passionate about it and very giving, and so that’s exciting. I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real life struggles. And sometimes that is uncovered and exposed, and sometimes it isn’t, and so I always felt, like, there were characters in comics that were really interesting and deserve the opportunity to be kind of studied. And so I think that’s what Todd sees appealing about this idea.”
No word on a release date for the “Joker” film yet, but according to the recent reports, the film should be going in front of cameras this fall, with a “modest” $55 million budget. Perhaps, with Phoenix so willing to talk about the film, we can expect more news at San Diego Comic-Con? Will we get an appearance from the star himself? We’ll have to keep an eye out for that.