With a budget of $55 million, co-writer/director Todd Phillips' upcoming JOKER origin movie starring Joaquin Phoenix is said to be more along the lines of a crime thriller than the average comic book movie, and a "dark character study" in the vein of TAXI DRIVER and THE KING OF COMEDY. All of us here at AITH are excited as hell to check out this new take on the Clown Prince of Crime and today we have word that the film is heading our way right on track for its October 2019 release date as Phillips just announced over on Instagram (see below) that JOKER has officially wrapped filming.
Phillips writes:
That’s a wrap on production. Thanks to the greatest crew NYC has to offer. It was a fun shoot— but we’re not there yet. #editingroom
I don't know about you, but I'm all kinds of pumped for this film to finally hit a screen near me. I positively LOVE the idea of Phoenix playing The Joker, and I'm loving the hell out of the look the powers that be have given Phoenix for this new iteration of the infamous Batman villain. Bring it on ASAP!
Written by Phillips and Scott Silver, JOKER draws some inspiration from the Alan Moore comic book The Killing Joke.
In Alan Moore’s version of the Joker’s origins, the villain was an unnamed failed comedian who struggles to make ends meet for his pregnant wife. When his wife is killed in a freak accident and a robbery he is forced to take part in disfigures his face, the comedian snaps, becoming the infamous Joker.
Phoenix's co-stars in the film include Robert De Niro as a talk show host; Frances Conroy as Penny, the mother of Arthur Fleck, the man who becomes the Joker; Marc Maron as an agent; Brett Cullen as wealthy mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne, father of future Batman Bruce Wayne; and Zazie Beetz as a single mother who catches Arthur's attention. JOKER is set to bring a new classic (no pressure) to your local movie theater on October 4, 2019.