‘Joker’ to Release in October 2019 on a $55M Budget
Work is underway on the DC Films project Joker, which will be directed by Todd Phillips, written by Scott Silver, and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. The movie will be released a month prior to Wonder Woman 1984 and will be made on a $55M budget, so far the least expensive movie developed under the DC Films brand.
Production on Joker begins in September, with a cast currently being assembled beyond Joaquin Phoenix as the title character; thus far, Robert De Niro is allegedly eyeing a role, while Francis McDormand reportedly was in-talks for a role that she ultimately passed on. The film is expected to be R-rated and is described as “[an] exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty study, but also a broader cautionary tale” by the studio. The 13-month production cycle the film will have, coupled with the modest budget, suggests that the film will not be presented as a spectacle piece like most superhero movies, but a character drama.
Story elements are scarce thus far, but existing details have implied that the film will be heavily influenced by Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. Furthermore, it’s been rumored that the movie will take inspiration from Batman comics The Killing Joke and The Man Who Laughs, which respectively cover a sane man’s transformation into the Clown Prince of Crime and his subsequent rise in infamy. While both comics also feature greater ties to Batman and the Bat-Family, it seems as though those may be excised in favor of making the film more of a character study as Warner Brothers have suggested. Furthermore, the movie is said to be more of a “dark crime drama” than a traditional supervillain story.
The film will not be a part of the shared universe started by Man of Steel, and is in fact expected to be the first project to be released under a separate production label (rumors indicating it will be called “DC Dark” or “DC Black”). As such, the film (which appears to be intended as a one-off) is not expected to affect Jared Leto’s involvement portraying the Joker within the shared universe, as he’s expected to appear in Suicide Squad 2 (which should start filming next year). Leto, in fact, has the option to produce a movie starring his version of the character, although so far it’s been indicated that he’ll be busy with Sony’s adaptation of Morbius the Living Vampire.
Joker will be released on October 4, 2019.
Grant Davis is a freelance writer who has covered entertainment news for more than seven years. His articles have frequently appeared in Star Wars News Net as well as as other entertainment-related websites. As someone who grew up on Star Wars and comic book movies, he’s completely thrilled with the current era of genre entertainment.
