The first teaser for Todd Phillips'
Joker instantly drew more comparisons to Martin Scorsese's classic 1982 black comedy film
The King of Comedy than any particular storyline or graphic novel from DC Comics.
Robert De Niro's character in
The King of Comedy was named Rupert Pupkin, a stand-up comedian obsessed with a TV host, played by Jerry Lewis. Some fans are concocting wild theories that De Niro is playing the same character in
Joker, which is clearly not the case.
Speaking to Indiewire on those similarities, Robert De Niro explained, "
There’s a connection, obviously, with the whole thing. But it’s not as a direct connection as the character I’m playing [in Joker] being Rupert many years later as a host."
However, it seems De Niro would have been up for making such an explicit connection between both films. "I
f they would’ve proposed that to me, I would’ve said, ‘That’s interesting, maybe we’ll try to do that.' But by making this type of film, it is connected in a way, as you’ll see."
Just what kind of connection exists remains to be seen. Audiences will have to wait until
Joker hits theaters on October 4.
In 1981, a failed stand-up comedian turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City, slowly rising up to become a frightening legend.