The second – and final trailer has dropped for Todd Phillips’ Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular villain and, oh boy, this looks like it’s going to be a powerhouse of a movie.
But I will say this, good or bad, it shares nothing in common with the comic character you know and love… but it looks like this is going to be an exceptional bit of hard-hitting cinema.
Director Todd Phillips’ original, standalone origin story JOKER explores the world of—and according to—Arthur Fleck. Indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur is a man facing the cruelty and outright scorn of society, along with the indifference of a system that allows him to spiral from vulnerability into depravity. A clown-for-hire by day, he strives to be a stand-up comic at night. But he finds that the joke always seems to be on him. He’s out of tune with everyone around him, as evidenced by his uncontrollable, inappropriate laughter. Which gains momentum as he attempts to contain it, exposing him to further ridicule—and even violence.
Arthur, who devotes himself to caring for his fragile mother, seeks out every father figure he has never had. From wealthy businessman Thomas Wayne, to TV host Murray Franklin. He’s caught in a cyclical existence teetering on the precipice of reality and madness. One bad decision brings about a chain reaction of escalating, ultimately deadly, events.
Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular villain with Zazie Beetz (DEADPOOL 2), Bill Camp (RED SPARROW, MOLLY’S GAME), Frances Conroy (AMERICAN HORROR STORY), Brett Cullen (NARCOS), Glenn Fleshler (BARRY), Douglas Hodge (PENNY DREADFUL), Marc Maron (GLOW), Josh Pais (MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN), and Shea Whigham (FIRST MAN). Robert De Niro also appears as Murray Franklin.
Todd Phillips (THE HANGOVER trilogy) directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with writer Scott Silver (THE FIGHTER), based on characters from DC. Phillips and Bradley Cooper produce under their Joint Effort banner, along with Emma Tillinger Koskoff. Richard Baratta, Joseph Garner, and Bruce Berman also executive produce.
JOKER opens in theaters everywhere on October 4.
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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