Joaquin Phoenix is set to play the title character in the upcoming Joker origin movie. The actor was photographed on Wednesday in New York city in the run up to production, and he was looking noticably thinner. Shooting for the movie, which will give a unique look at the popular character, begins this month for release in autumn 2019.
Joaquin Phoenix is about to begin production on his Joker origin movie and he’s noticeably thinner – see the new pics https://t.co/cIOM4jqpUw
— JustJared.com (@JustJared) August 30, 2018
Joaquin Phoenix Spotted Out in New York City as He Prepares to Play the Joker https://t.co/Vv767Cevdu
— People (@people) August 30, 2018
The picture, in which Phoenix is wearing a blue shirt, sunglasses and carrying a rucksack, has been shared on Just Jared. The weight loss is certainly staying true to the physique that we have seen for other incarnations of the Joker. It was revealed in July that Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker begins the movie named Arthur Fleck. We will experience the events that led the character to become what he is known as today.
A report from ThatHashtagShow explained:
“Phillips’ film will follow Fleck as he returns to a city on the brink. We believe that Fleck will return home to live with his aging (perhaps dying?) mother, Penny, in her apartment. It’s here that he’ll likely meet Sophie Dumond, the single-mother set to be played by Zazie Beetz, and begin his descent into madness described as the “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.””
Of course, this isn’t the only Joker origin story in the works. Jared Leto‘s portrayal of the villain is also reportedly getting a movie, but there isn’t a lot of information in regards to that project. Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker film is completely separate from that, and is an idea the actor himself thought about a few years ago. He revealed:
“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.”
You can watch Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker on October 4, 2019.
Are you looking forward to this origin story? Do you think Jared Leto’s will make a better movie? Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments!