The Joker is more than Batman's arch nemesis. The Clown Prince of Crime is the most popular and admired comic book villain of all time. In recent months, Josh Brolin's Thanos took the crown for most loved villain, but before the Mad Titan hit movie screens, the Joker was king. Perhaps it's the maniacal laugh he emits when murdering his victims. Or maybe it's the purple suit, a clear nod to the royalty of being a prince. Many 90's babies were first introduced to the Joker with the legendary cartoon Batman: The Animated Series, in which Mark Hamill (more famously known as Luke Skywalker) played the crazed clown. Now, The Joker is getting a live-action origin movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. has greenlit a Joker origin film starring Joaquin Phoenix as the villain. The stand-alone film will exist in a separate universe from Suicide Squad and Justice League. Todd Phillips (The Hangover Trilogy, Due Date, Road Trip, Old School) will be directing the film which is said to be an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.” There is no release date attached to the film, but it begins filming this Fall in New York.
