The first teaser for Joaquin Phoenix’s as JOKER is here, and it is dark, creepy, and beautiful in a very twisted sort of way…
DC’s cinematic universe is constantly in a shake-up, with actors being replaced left and right, soft reboots coming, and now there is Elseworlds. For those that don’t know,Elseworlds takes place in an entirely different universe (these are comic stories, after all).
Elseworlds was the publication imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe canon. The Gotham by Gaslight graphic novel, featuring Batman, is considered to be the first official Elseworlds story –Wikipedia
The cinematography in the teaser is truly breathtaking.
The origin of Joker has always been up for debate, with Killing Joke usually being considered the winner. Alan Moore’s vision on the man who would ultimately become the most infamous villain in all comic book history was praised for its writing and plot direction, along with the art by Brian Bolland. It seems that Killing Joke will be a heavy influence on the plot of JOKER, which takes place in 1981 where a failed comedian with mental disorders turns to crime in Gotham.
JOKER’s budget, despite being much lower than most comic films with just $55 million, will likely focus on the psychiatric and mental perspective of the insane, rather than incorporate flashy CGI building crumbling all around while aliens fight in the sky. That said, the cast of the film includes Robert DeNiro, as talk show host, though we believe an actor of his caliber likely has a much larger role to play in the film, but that is just a hunch.
Brett Cullen has been cast as Thomas Wayne and Dante Pereira-Olson will play a young Bruce Wayne, though the size of their roles has not been revealed. Considering what we know about the period in which this film takes place, it is possible that Thomas and Martha will be murdered towards the end of the movie (either by Joker himself, Joe Chill, or one of Joker’s henchman), leaving young Bruce down his path as the Dark Knight.
While the trailer does not show much, it shows a lot- if that makes sense. The direction seems to focus on the mental state of JOKER and his struggles with dealing with depression, among other things. Surprisingly, this film looks remarkable. I did not want a Joker stand-alone, but now that we have gotten a taste of what it could actually be like, I want more.
JOKER is set to release this October 9th.
