The Joker once famously said “If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!” and it looks as if DC and Warner Bros agrees. Deadline is reporting that a new cinematic take on Joker’s origin story is currently in development. Todd Phillips (The Hangover) and Scott Silver (8 Mile) are co-writing the script while Phillips will direct. What’s most interesting is that Martin Scorsese has signed on as a producer on the film.
With Scorsese involved, the film seems to be heavily influenced by his own brand of storytelling:
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.
Due to the origin-story nature of the film, Jared Leto is not set to reprise the role, instead a new, younger actor, will be sought. It is worth mentioning that the article does state that Jared Leto will reprise his role of the Joker in both the Suicide Squad sequel and the planned Gotham City Sirens film.
According to the report, this movie will be the first under a new banner for DC and WB that will allow stories to be told outside of the main DCEU. Similar to a cinematic Elseworlds. Perhaps those rumors of a Superman: Red Son can be tied to this new studio.
What do you think of a Joker solo movie and do you think DC and WB allowing for movies to exist outside their DCEU canon will help or harm their cinematic output?
