Director Todd Phillips has announced the return of Joker, and we’re getting even more excited about it now. On Thursday, Todd Phillips shared the first look at Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, who will play Batman’s nemesis in the upcoming sequel. The photo shows a smiling Phoenix, 44, looking like he’s ready to get back into character as Gotham City’s Clown Prince of Crime. “The filmmaker and his team are still putting the finishing touches on the script,” according to Warner Bros., which produced both films along with DC Entertainment.”I think he’s gonna be incredible in this movie,” Phillips said of Phoenix. “And I don’t say that lightly and I say it with a lot of confidence and a lot of certainty.”
The first photo of Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime is a moody black-and-white shot, which shows Phoenix sitting with his face covered by his hands. The caption reads, “You’ve never heard of me… but you will,” referencing the Joker’s famous line from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke.
Todd Phillips Excited
Todd Phillips shared the image on Instagram Thursday morning, writing alongside it: “Ahhhhh! Me and my baby @joaquinphoenix are going to Gotham City. We are so excited to see what that looks like under this cloth over here!!” Though this won’t be a full picture of Phoenix in costume or makeup—that’ll likely come when Warner Bros.’s next DC movie slate is officially revealed at San Diego Comic Con next month—it does give us a glimpse at what Phillips has planned for our favorite villainous clown prince.
“The filmmaker and his team are still putting the finishing touches on the script,” according to Warner Bros.
The studio also revealed that Todd Phillips will direct from a screenplay by Scott Silver (8 Mile) and Todd Hanson (Uncorked). “The Joker: Folie à Deux is an exploration of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, as these two super-villains push each other to the breaking point as they try to outdo one another in their quest for supremacy. The story begins after Batman has retired and Gotham City has lost its Dark Knight, who gets replaced by a new hero dubbed Red Hood. As this new hero continues to fight crime with brute strength rather than using his intellect in ways similar to Bruce Wayne, it raises questions about whether he should be considered a vigilante or antihero—especially since he has no interest in saving lives like his predecessor did.
