New Joker trailer is here to make sure you remember to smile

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Surely no one knew what to think when it was announced that Todd Phillips, the director of THE HANGOVER, was tackling a gritty, standalone origin story of the Joker, which would eventually cast Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. But we are just about a month away from release, and now a second trailer is here to double down on the bizarre, oddly ethereal sensations we experienced with the first trailer, further teasing a character-driven approach to telling the story of one of the greatest villains in pop culture. And yes, it still looks fantastic. 

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Ever since the first trailer dropped a few months ago we've gotten precious little else, except for a few promotional images showing off Phoenix's tortured clown persona. Most impressively, the movie became the first of the comic book genre to land a spot at the Toronto International Film Festival, which has gone a long way in making people think this thing could have some serious Oscar potential. Phoenix is certainly in the running for another nomination for Best Actor, because quite simply, he looks mesmerizing in the role of Arthur Fleck, a man who is pushed too far and reaches his breaking point…leading to a lot of makeup purchases and a wardrobe change. 

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And much like the reaction I had to the first trailer…wow. This looks sensational, and we see even more of Phoenix's incredible turn as the character, and what pushes him further into the rabbit hole of madness…in turn becoming more confident and sure of himself. While I have to wait and see the movie before coming to conclusions, based on the trailer this looks like a movie made with a very clear, focused vision on showing a new look at a classic villain, and I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be a major awards player down the road.

JOKER is in theaters October 4.