Only one thing about Todd Phillips' standalone Joker movie is certain: this isn't going to
be any old superhero film.
Here are all the reasons why it's time to get hyped about this brand new take on the
Dark Knight's greatest nemesis.
First things first: this isn't a Batman movie.
Sure, Bruce Wayne has been cast, but in this movie he's a child with no idea what's still
to come.
He's not the focus, the protagonist, or even a major player.
This is a story about the Joker and the world that made him.
But just as the greatest Batman stories are often about the kind of evil he faces down,
so too might this story be about the good that the Joker fights.
That means this film isn't just capable of being a great Joker story, but also a great
story about Gotham itself, too.
And that's a perspective even fans of the comics rarely get to see.
Legendary actors aren't new to superhero movies, and even the Joker himself has been portrayed
by some world-class performers.
“Let's put a smile on that face."
But more often than not, caped adventures simply act as a springboard for actors to
reach greater heights.
Chris Evans was Captain America before he directed his own film; Mary Jane Watson was
an important step towards Kirsten Dunst becoming a legendary actress; and Wolverine gave Hugh
Jackman the chance to eventually make some of his dream musical projects.
Often, capes and cowls are what you start with — not necessarily what you aim for.
So it's not every day that an actor like Joaquin [ Phoenix steps up to play a denizen of Gotham
City.
Phoenix has won Grammy awards, been nominated three times for Oscars, and garnered acclaim
across multiple genres and mediums.
From The Master to Gladiator to his soundtrack work for Walk the Line, he's time and time
again proved his worth as an artist with vision, passion, and drive.
Phoenix isn't just a star you can count on to play a role well — he's someone you can
count on to make it his own.
To say that DC's cinematic universe has encountered a few rough patches here and there would be
an understatement, to say the least.
Even the franchise's flagship movies, such as Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, tend
to attract more criticism than than praise.
It's not all bad, of course — Shazam! has practically reinvigorated the franchise and
both Wonder Woman and Aquaman played well with audiences — but it doesn't exactly
make things easier.
Normally, this wouldn't be good news for a DC movie like Joker.
But one benefit of the DC films' troubles is that they've forced Warner Brothers to
allow their movies to try new things.
And so it goes for Joker, which is being promoted as an independent creation inspired by the
DC Universe's mythology — but without having to obey it entirely.
This means the film will be able to take creative risks and make decisions without having to
make sure it all fits in with the Justice League timeline.
DC's Elseworlds publishing imprint was a similarly-minded venture that led to the publication of some
of the best superhero comics ever made.
Now, fans will finally get to see how that experiment translates to the silver screen.
Director Todd Phillips is the guy behind the Hangover trilogy, first and foremost, but
he's also worked on many films before and since — from Borat to War Dogs.
Most notably, he's renowned for his work with comedy.
This works well for Joker, since Phillips will be a comedian telling a comedian's story.
A director well-versed in the kind of gritty thriller Joker aims to be would be one thing,
but what cinematic alchemy might happen when the guy behind the camera really understands
what it's like to be inside Arthur Fleck's head?
The Joker is, at his best, both scary and funny.
And who better to make that terrifying contrast a reality than a proven jokester?
Gotham City has been subject to countless differing interpretations over the years.
There's Tim Burton's ultra-stylized neo-Gothic fantasia, where secretaries have neon signs
in their bedrooms and modern department stores still advertise with 1950s-style signage.
There's also Nolan's mega-city, which is practically indistinguishable from modern-day Manhattan.
Joker, however, seems to be taking a different tack entirely, with the trailer seemingly
implying that it takes place in a Gotham based on 1970s New York City.
It depicts seedy peep shows clearly riffing on the Times Square of that era, an Arkham
that Nurse Ratched could have prowled, and comedy clubs full of that classic '70s mustard-gold-and-brown
palette.
It's a period rarely explored by modern comic book movies — and one that will doubtless
help Joker stand out from the crowd.
Some of the most inventive films of all time found their success by taking influence from
unexpected places.
For example, Mad Max: Fury Road will likely go down as one of the greatest action films
of all time — and one of the only to hire Eve Ensler, of The Vagina Monologues, as a
consultant.
Equally, Guardians of the Galaxy brought new zest to Marvel by plumbing the depths of 1970s
music.
"Dance off, bro.
Me versus you."
"It's on!"
And now we have Joker, which Todd Phillips says will call Martin Scorsese its number
one influence — particularly Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and Taxi Driver.
Scorsese was actually set to co-produce the film until he dropped out in 2018, but his
primacy as a figure in the production of the film doesn't seem to have changed.
In a comic book film already full of innovations and subversions from the norm, the influence
of a great like Scorsese is surely the most exciting.
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