In addition to a planned solo movie for Jared Leto’s iteration of The Joker, we learned last year that Warner Bros. has also been developing a Joker origin story with Todd Phillips (The Hangover) in the director’s chair and Joaquin Phoenix potentially on board to play the Clown Prince of Crime. Tonight, THR reports that the project is officially a go.
Phoenix has finalized a deal to play the Joker in the Phillips-directed origin story, with shooting set to begin in New York this coming September.
The film will reportedly be made on a $55 million production budget, with it being described as a crime drama that will be “darker and more experimental in tone and content.”
The site also notes, “Todd Phillips is directing and co-wrote the script, which the studio describes as being an exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”
Scott Silver co-wrote the script. Emma Tillinger Koskoff (The Wolf of Wall Street) is producing, with Richard Baratta on board as an executive producer.
