JOKER Will Reportedly Be A Tragic Story Which Comments On America's Current Political Climate
According to a new report, Joker is shaping up to be a very different movie to what most of us expected, and it's even been compared to V For Vendetta when it comes to its political undercurrents...
We've seen an awful lot from Joker in recent months thanks to set photos and officially released character portraits from director Todd Phillips. However, a new report claims that much of what we've seen online will play out on screen very differently to what most of us probably expect.
It's said that from a tonal standpoint, Joker feels unlike any other comic book movie before it and words have been thrown around like "heartbreaking," "pitiful," and "a tragedy" when it comes to describing what's shaping up to be a downbeat character study for Joaquin Phoenix's Clown Prince of Crime in this standalone origin story.
Now, this may prove to be rather controversial but it's said that we can also expect V For Vendetta style "political undercurrents" while the movie will also feature "some pointed commentary on Donald Trump."
A lot of people don't want to see real-life politics addressed in movies like this, so that could end up working against Joker. On the plus side, this report also mentions that it very much has a Taxi Driver meets The King of Comedy vibe and there will be plenty of surprises for comic book fans.
For a recap of everything the set photos have told us
about the movie, hit the "View List" button below!
Meet Arthur Fleck
Our first look at Joaquin Phoenix's "Arthur Fleck" came via Joker director Todd Phillips but it took no time at all for set photos to surface featuring a maniacal looking Arthur having a good laugh on Amusement Mile.
Arthur could be seen leaving "Ha Ha's" talent agency looking miserable as sin before being confronted by a guy dressed as a clown, cracking a joke, and then giving his nose a good squeeze. Perhaps Arthur feels at this point in time that comedians like that are beneath him but little does he know what's in store for him moving forward...
The Joker Is Revealed
The test video featuring Phoenix decked out in his Joker makeup which was shared by Phillips generated an awful lot of discussion but our best look at the Clown Prince of Crime came courtesy of some revealing set photos.
In those, we saw what will presumably be the villain's final look as he could be seen with green hair, a colourful suit, and smeared makeup which definitely gives him a menacing vibe. It appeared as if he had incited some sort of riot on the subway and in a video which was also shared at the time, we saw protesters attacking Thomas Wayne in the background.
"The Losers' Club"
Bryan Callen's male stripper was also spotted on set fairly early on and it appears as if he belongs to the same talent agency as Arthur and that overweight clown we mentioned at the start of this post. Presumably, they're all looking for their big break in Gotham City and it should be interesting seeing what role, if any, these apparent "friends" of Arthur's have on his journey.
Arthur's Obsession
We don't know much about Zazie Beetz's Sophie Dumont beyond the fact that she lives in the same apartment building as Arthur and is the object of his affections. In these intriguing photos, he could seemingly be seen stalking Sophie through Gotham and she's definitely not her normal glam self.
Thomas Wayne Is Running For Mayor
Recent casting additions have revealed that Bruce Wayne does indeed exist in this world and that Alfred Pennyworth will also be making an appearance. That probably means no Batman but Thomas is clearly a busy man at this point in time because photos have confirmed that he's running for mayor!
That goes some way in explaining how The Joker has so much support from Gotham City's citizens as the last thing the disenfranchised probably want is a billionaire running things.
Stalking Turns To Love?
Despite the fact that it appears as if Arthur is stalking Sophie at one point in the movie, later images showed the two of them catching up in a diner...before he breaks into a maniacal laugh!
Does that mean she eventually falls for Arthur only for something to happen to her which pushes the already unhinged Arthur over the edge? That certainly seems like one fairly likely possibility.
The Joker May Be The Movie's Hero
While The Joker has his fair share of followers in the comics, they're normally Arkham Asylum escapees. In this movie, however, it appears as if those who aren't in the 1% will rally behind the Clown Prince of Crime and many extras have been seen holding up signs saying they want him to become mayor. Could it be that he'll eventually run against Thomas Wayne? That would be...weird!
He's Also A Happy Clown
If you're wondering where Arthur gets the idea to become a clown, it seemingly stems from him being forced to degrade himself by dressing up as a clown and holding one of those signs on the street pointing people to deals they can find in nearby stores.
That presumably comes as a result of his stand-up career being a complete failure and the make-up he's wearing resembles what we later see him in as does the green wig so this is definitely the prototype "Joker" before he transforms into a full-blown baddie.
The Batmobile May Make An Appearance
This is far from confirmed but one fan claims to have spotted the Batmobile on the set of the movie and it was almost identical to the version the Caped Crusader drove in the 1960s TV series.
Seeing as Phoenix's Joker is also heavily inspired by Caesar Romero's, it would make sense for Batman to have that version of his car in this movie but it's just as likely that this was for a random event nearby and isn't associated with the movie in any way. Still, the prospect of Batman appearing in some form is definitely intriguing, especially now we know Bruce Wayne will show up.
A First Look At Thomas Wayne
There's been a lot of speculation that Arthur will be outed as the illegitimate son of Thomas Wayne and these photos definitely pointed to him trying to get the billionaire's attention as Phoenix was spotted trying to chase him down before tumbling to the floor. We know his mother may be connected to Thomas in some way so perhaps he's acting on her behalf during this embarrassing fall.
A Potentially Major Spoiler
In one of the biggest spoilers we've seen to date, The Joker was seen being hauled away in the back of a police cruiser while laughing like a maniac. In all honesty, this could be something which happens at the halfway point but it's hard not to wonder if these shots could ultimately be from the final act as the cops finally catch up to Gotham City's new Clown Prince of Crime.
We'll have to wait and see but I don't think the plot will be as simple as The Joker being arrested and being made to pay for his crimes! My guess is he's the one who kills Thomas and Martha...
The Joker Goes On The Run
Shooting is currently taking place so we'll update this post accordingly and the latest round of images have shown Phoenix's villain being chased down by Shea Whigham and Bill Camp's cops.
His make-up is pretty much flawless at this point in time so it's highly likely that we're seeing Arthur shortly after he first transforms into the Clown Prince of Crime and starts causing chaos...