The Joker ($1 Billion Worldwide Box Office)

Warner Bros and DC are in the early stages of another Batman Universe spinoff movie, this one telling the origin story of the signature villain The Joker. The studio has set The Hangover‘s Todd Phillips to co-write a script with 8 Mile scribe Scott Silver. Phillips will direct the movie, and Martin Scorsese will produce it with Phillips. This will be the first film under a new banner that has yet to be named in which WB can expand the canon of DC properties and create unique storylines with different actors playing the iconic characters.

I’m told that the intention is to make an origin story that isn’t part of any other iteration. The Joker has memorably been part of two Batman movies in the form of Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger, and was most recently played by Jared Leto in the first Suicide Squad film. He will reprise in the Suicide Squad sequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff, but this new film will launch the character with a different actor, possibly younger.

An intriguing part is the setting. The intention is to make a gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy. I’m told that Phillips and Silver are writing already, but there is nothing firm on where this will fit into the DC schedule.

Phillips most recently directed War Dogs with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Silver’s recent script credits include The Fighter.

UltimateMarvel wrote:This makes no sense. DC is all over the place, fuckin idiots!

Yesterday brought the rather unexpected news that Warner Bros. is currently developing a Joker origin story movie with Martin Scorsese producing and Todd Phillips directing. One of the most interesting parts of the report, beyond the fact that Scorsese is making a Joker movie, is that it won't be Jared Leto's version of The Joker featured in the movie. That's because Warner Bros. is looking to start an entirely new DC production banner that will take place outside of the DC Extended Universe.

In Deadline's initial report about the Joker movie, they noted that it is being done under a new, as of yet unnamed production banner at Warner Bros. The hope is that they can use this banner to make unique movies outside of the DCEU that will use different actors and tell stories that otherwise couldn't happen in their current cinematic universe. Here's how Deadline explains it.

   "This will be the first film under a new banner that has yet to be named in which WB can expand the canon of DC properties and create unique storylines with different actors playing the iconic characters."

Depending on how this shakes out, this could either be a brilliant move, or it could lead to some serious oversaturation with DC comic book movies. In the report, the Joker origin movie is described as a "gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-'80s Gotham City," and that this version of The Joker won't be related to "any other iteration." Within the confines of a cinematic universe, something like that could never happen. Under this new production banner, Warner Bros. could do just about anything with the understanding that it wouldn't affect any of the big picture stuff. As such, it is said in this report that Leto is still expected to be in Suicide Squad 2 and Gotham City Sirens.

This isn't the first we've heard of a possible project taking place outside of the DCEU. It was recently revealed that Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts had pitched a Superman: Red Son movie at one point. Under this new banner, something like that would actually be possible. There could also be adaptations of other very popular DC Comics storylines that couldn't happen in the current universe, like Gotham by Gaslight or Kingdom Come. It certainly does open up a lot of possibilities.

As of right now, there is no word on what this production banner is going to be called or how many of these movies Warner Bros. is planning on producing. They may want to test the waters with this Joker Origin Movie first and see how things go. The script is currently being written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver (8 Mile), but there is no timetable for release. As much as cinematic universes are great, having to make movies fit within that continuity can be constricting. This is a pretty creative way of possibly being able to have it both ways.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I hope JL flops. I hope all their slated movies flop that WB no longer owns DC.

Rusty wrote:Problem is they won't flop. They might not touch their desired $ Billion barrier, but China guarantees they will always surpass their budget and media buy.

John Requa & Glenn Ficarra Circling Margot Robbie Harley Quinn Spinoff Movie

Busy week for news in Gotham City. John Requa & Glenn Ficarra are in talks to write, direct and produce the Suicide Squad spinoff movie that is will have Margot Robbie and Jared Leto reprising their roles, she playing Harley Quinn and he playing her demented boyfriend The Joker. This comes a day after Deadline revealed that Warner Bros/DC have Todd Phillips writing with Scott Silver and producing with Martin Scorsese a new origin story about The Joker, a film that will cast a different actor in the signature villain role. DC has been all over the place with possible movies, and this one is apparently different from Gotham City Sirens, a different Harley Quinn spinoff meant to showcase several top female villains from the DC stable which Suicide Squad director David Ayer is attached to direct. Robbie is aboard that project as exec producer. This comes as the film she produced, I, Tonya, in which she plays disgraced Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, is shaping up to be arguably the most coveted acquisitions title of the upcoming Toronto Film Festival. Her portrayal as Harley Quinn was a major bright spot in Suicide Squad,  as a nurse who loses her soul after falling for the charms of her Joker boyfriend.

The new movie focuses on that toxic relationship. While Suicide Squad brought about fanboy ire, the movie grossed nearly $750 million worldwide. Warner Bros/DC are developing a Suicide Squad sequel (Jaume Collet-Serra was going to direct it until he moved on to the Dwayne Johnson-starrer Jungle Cruise at Disney), and that is a high priority for Warner Bros and DC.

Requa and Ficarra wrote Bad Santa, but their directing efforts have been mostly financial misses. Most recently they directed Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and before that, they directed Focus, another movie that wasn’t a success but which got them to work with Robbie. They also helmed Crazy, Stupid, Love. They wrote Cats and Dogs and its sequel. This ought to give them an opportunity to score a hit movie as Warner Bros and DC continue to try and figure out their superhero universe plans.

WyldeMan wrote:Scorsese has been talkin to his favorite boy Leo about taking on the role of The Joker.

What are your thoughts on Dicaprio as The Joker? I can't help but immediately make the Nicholson connection because of The Departed.

Rusty wrote:I drew that immediate connection, and not because of Departed, but because they look alike. Same face type. I wouldn't be surprised if a DNA test revealed Jack was his dad.

Also, as disinterested as i am in watching a solo Joker movie, I'll be less interested if it's Leo.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I hate how they're using a different actor within the same universe but Leo would be amazing. I will accept this and ONLY this. But I think Leo will turn it down. He's not into the superhero genre I think otherwise he would've signed on a long time ago. This is a villain role so I guess it might interest him but I doubt it.

Tyger wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:I hate how they're using a different actor within the same universe but Leo would be amazing. I will accept this and ONLY this. But I think Leo will turn it down. He's not into the superhero genre I think otherwise he would've signed on a long time ago. This is a villain role so I guess it might interest him but I doubt it.

It's not in the same universe, there should be separate threads for the projects discussed in here

UltimateMarvel wrote:I hate how they're using a different actor within the same universe but Leo would be amazing. I will accept this and ONLY this. But I think Leo will turn it down. He's not into the superhero genre I think otherwise he would've signed on a long time ago. This is a villain role so I guess it might interest him but I doubt it.

Joaquin Phoenix in Talks to Play the Joker in Todd Phillips’ Standalone Movie

Joaquin Phoenix is in talks to play the Clown Prince of Crime in Warner Bros. and Todd Phillips’ untitled Joker origin movie.

While studio negotiations are not yet underway, Phillips has made it clear that Phoenix is the top choice to star and sources now tell Variety that, after thinking it over, Phoenix has agreed to the role. WB had no comment.

Phillips is on board to co-write and direct the movie. Phillips had met with Phoenix before the new year and was just waiting for the studio’s go-ahead, sources say.

Insiders stress that Jared Leto, who starred in “Suicide Squad” as the Joker is still on board as the character in the DC universe and that this Phoenix has no effect on what happens with Leto’s character in future DC films.

The movie would fall under a yet-to-be-announced new banner of DC Comics, which would give the studio the opportunity to expand the canon of the iconic comic-book characters with unique story angles that aren’t included in its current cinematic universe. Jared Leto most recently played the Joker in “Suicide Squad” and is likely to reprise that role in “Suicide Squad 2,” but will not be featured in this film. Rumors circulated that Leonardo DiCaprio was the first person approached to star in Phillips’ standalone film, though that didn’t pan out.

Scott Silver will join Phillips as a co-writer on the film, which will delve into what it took for the Joker to become a mastermind criminal. Sources say the story will take place in the ’80s and have more of the look of a gritty crime drama than comic-book movie.

Phoenix has been considered for another villainous DC role in the past: Lex Luthor in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” but passed on that role, which ultimately went to Jesse Eisenberg. He was also in talks for Disney-Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” but passed on that as well. He was most recently seen in the Gus Van Sant film “He Won’t Get Far on Foot.”

joey con carne wrote:DC is retarded. Next thing they will make is an origin story for Commissioner Gordon which shows the first years of his career out of the academy.

‘Joker’ Origin Film to Portray Batman Villain as Failed ’80s Comedian

Todd Phillips’ planned “Joker” origin movie will portray Batman’s arch-nemesis as a failed 1980s comedian who becomes the clown prince of crime after bombing with audiences, insiders exclusively told TheWrap.

Many fans scratched their heads when news first broke that Martin Scorsese, who has eschewed superhero films in the past, would be  a producer of the film. But his involvement makes more sense given his work on 1982’s “King of Comedy,” which starred Robert De Niro as a deluded comedian who can’t catch a break. The Joker origin story will include nods to that film, insiders told TheWrap.

Joaquin Phoenix is close to a deal to play the Joker in Phillips’ film, which will show audiences laughing at the Joker instead of with him. The film is eyeing a mid- to late-2018 production start, but an insider with knowledge of the project said it could be delayed by rewrites, which are currently underway by Phillips and “8 Mile” veteran Scott Silver.

The project is expected to be part of a yet-to-be-announced new banner under Warner Bros.’ DC Films that will expand the comic-book canon beyond such familiar DC Extended Universe characters as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Jared Leto’s Joker, who appeared in last year’s “Suicide Squad.”

DC Comics routinely publish stories outside the established DC timeline, reimagining characters with tweaks to their origins and settings without altering the DC canon. The new films could do the same.

The idea of the Joker as a failed comedian isn’t new. In the dark, grotesque 1988 graphic novel “The Killing Joke,” Alan Moore wrote the Joker as a struggling stand-up who snaps after “one bad day” and turns to crime to feed his family.

Through a series of horrific events, he becomes a sadistic super villain obsessed with Batman. (The Joker has had several iterations and origin stories since he debuted in Batman No. 1 in 1940; Batman himself debuted the previous year in Detective Comics No. 27.)

Phillips is best known for writing and directing the “Hangover” franchise for the studio. He last wrote, directed and produced “War Dogs,” starring Miles Teller and Jonah Hill.

Silver’s recent credits include “The Finest Hours.” He also wrote the upcoming crime drama “White Boy Rick.”

The Joker origin movie is officially a go at Warner Bros.

Joaquin Phoenix recently finalized his deal to star as the arch-nemesis of Batman and shooting is set to begin in September in New York.

Todd Phillips is directing the film and co-wrote the script, which the studio describes as being an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.” Scott Silver co-wrote the script.

Warners has yet to stake out a release date for the film, which goes against the grain of most comic book movies that have flags planted years in advance. But the Joker stand-alone pic is meant to be different from other comic book superhero movies. 

The project's budget is in the $55 million range, significantly lower than the tentpoles that dominate the form.

And the stand-alone is meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content, which is described as being akin to a crime drama.

That said, there is a chance that the movie could be ready for release as early as late 2019, depending on various factors.

Warners has a possible second Joker movie in the works as Jared Leto, who played the character in Suicide Squad, now has his own solo film project in development.

Emma Tillinger Koskoff (The Wolf of Wall Street) is producer on the Joker origin stand-alone, while Richard Baratta is an executive producer.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Next will be a Lex Luthor movie. lol The villains are all getting a solo movie.

WyldeMan wrote:That's because all the candy assed half measure heroes can't get their jobs done cause it would make them the bad guys! So why not just focus on the bad guys so nobody has to feel morally questionable about why murder is perfectly justifiable when done with a smile and some pizazz.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix will be playing the Clown Prince of Crime in Todd Phillips' Joker Origin Movie and now, there are reports floating around that the story will have a pretty big Batman connection. The new rumors seem to go with the recent rumblings that the new Joker movie could have a connection to Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman film, but that has not been confirmed at this time. As with all rumors, we'll have to take this one with a beatarang to the throat for the time being.

With San Diego Comic-Con on the way, some news about Joaquin Phoenix's Joker Origin movie is expected to be announced at the convention since DC practically has Hall H to themselves this year. There have been rumors for the last several weeks that point to Robert De Niro taking on a role in the origin tale, though he is reportedly not set to play the character with the big Batman connection. The new rumor suggests that Thomas Wayne will play a pretty large part in the Joker Origin story. The report reads.

"As for De Niro's role, I don't think he's playing some canon type character. I don't think he's playing like a local TV host or something like that, who's maybe broadcasting about the Joker. I'm not entirely sure. I do know that one character who's going to have a big role in this is Thomas Wayne."

While it isn't clear who will be playing Thomas Wayne, it more than likely will not be Robert De Niro, according to the new report. If Bruce Wayne's father is going to be in the Joker Origin movie, how will he be utilized, especially if the part is supposed to be pretty big? It is entirely possible that the movie will also serve as an origin story for Batman as well, but with an obvious focus on the Joker.

If this rumor about Thomas Wayne in the Joker Origin movie is true, this could be the tie-in to Matt Reeves' The Batman as well. A few weeks ago it was rumored that the two DC projects could be related, but it wasn't exactly explained. The main argument was that DC Films and Warner Bros. are looking for a new actor to take on the role of Bruce Wayne, so it would make sense to have him and the Clown Prince of Crime in the same world to possibly meet up later on down the line.

While this Joker Origin movie news is exciting, there are many DC fans who believe that it's time to start focusing on other characters in the DC universe.

There are a lot more heroes than just Batman and Superman, so why not give more of them a shot? However, those attitudes could change after the release of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker Origin movie and The Batman. You can learn more about the possibility of Thomas Wayne having a large part in the Joker Origin movie at the Collider YouTube channel.