‘Joker’ Origin Movie Confirmed, Batman Fans Not Looking Forward To Villain’s Own Film
A Joker origin movie has been confirmed under a new DC banner at Warner Bros. but fans have varying thoughts about having Batman’s arch enemy taking the limelight with his backstory.
Sources confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that a film featuring the Joker is indeed in the works and it looks like it will be labeled under a new banner developed by Warner Brothers.
The spin-off, which is said to be for DC’s Batman Universe banner, is in early stages of pre-production with the help of The Hangover director Todd Phillips. He is set to co-write the script with 8 Mile scribe Scott Silver and will also co-produce it with Martin Scorsese.
Based on a report from Deadline, the Joker origin movie is set to showcase the infamous villain in a way that hasn’t been done in past Batman movies, including the ones where Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger portrayed the infamous super villain.
While Jared Leto will reprise the role in the upcoming sequel of the Suicide Squad alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, the origin film will showcase the character in an earlier setting, which means a different and younger actor will be taking over.
As far as the plot goes, Deadline revealed the possibility of the film being setup in an early 80’s timeline where Gotham City is portrayed in what the outlet described as a “gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film.”
Because it is supposedly an origin story, fans immediately vouched for Cameron Monaghan who portrayed Jerome Valeska — a very Joker-like character—in FOX’s Gotham.
If the rumors are true and there will be a #JokerMovie they better cast @cameronmonaghan otherwise it WON'T WORK.
Ur welcome. pic.twitter.com/KaBBfwHZby
— Roli in the deep (@RoliRdz) August 23, 2017
#joker #JokerMovie if you're doing JOKER get Jerome Get CamMonoghan pic.twitter.com/mSzxbiPmoX
— Aqeedina Qeedah (@ARainSoul) August 23, 2017
However, others were simply not happy with the idea of a Joker origin movie where a villain becomes the protagonist and center of it all.
Imagine taking a VILLAIN whose potency is fully reliant on the HERO being our PROTAGONIST and making a film with him as the lead #JokerMovie
— BAILEY//Blade Runner Video OUT NOW (@loverboymedia) August 22, 2017
According to some, putting Joker’s origin out as public knowledge is something that should not be done, else the villain will lose its “character.”
Take the mystery out of the Monster & the Monster becomes a man & no longer scary. Joker needs to keep his mystery. #joker #JokerMovie
— BK (@Barritt1983) August 23, 2017
Going on record, a #JokerMovie is another bad idea in a stream of bad ideas #DCEU has had, basically since separating from Tim Burton
— Larry Teague Jr. (@lrteaguejr) August 23, 2017
A #JokerMovie by Scorsese sounds awesome. An origin movie though? That's a meh idea. The Joker doesn't need an origin.#YouGetASlowClap pic.twitter.com/6fKjjx4PCu
— Official BlakeIsADalek™ (@BlakeIsADalek) August 23, 2017
Meanwhile, Variety thinks there are enough Joker storylines that should be covered in the silver screen instead of his origin, including his love story with Harley Quinn featured in Paul Dini and Bruce Timm’s “Mad Love.”
On top of that, there is the cat-and-mouse tale of the “Arkham Asylum,” which dives into the depths of the Joker and Batman’s damaged minds. With this Batman arch, Grant Morrison produced his graphic novel that sheds a sinister light to the place where villains consider as their abode—the same place where the Joker believes Batman should come home to.
What can you say about the Joker origin movie? Share with us your opinion in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Warner Bros.]
