Whoa! Big news out of DC land. Deadline reports that Warner Bros. and DC Films are in the early stages of developing new Joker origin story as their latest expansion of theBatmanuniverse and they’ve brought some heavy-hitters aboard includingMartin Scorsese. Holy shit.The HangoverandWar DogshelmerTodd Phillipsis set to direct and co-write the script withThe FighterscreenwriterScott Silver. Scorsese will produce with Phillips.
The film is intended to launch a yet-to-be-named new banner at Warner Bros., which will expand the universe of DC films to create new storylines with different actors playing the beloved characters. The Joker origin story is said to be separate from the previous film incarnations, which meansJared Letowill not take on the role for this iteration of the character. Per the report, he’s set to reprise the role in theSuicide Squadsequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff, but the origin story will see a new, possibly younger actor take on the role of the iconic comic book villain.
And it get’smoreinteresting! Per the report, “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, likeTaxi Driver, Raging BullorThe King Of Comedy.” Phillips and Silver have already started writing the script, but there’s no word on how this new incarnation and the new film banner will fit in with the existing DC schedule.
OK, now that my shock has worn off from seeing Batman and Martin Scorsese occupy the same sentence, let’s talk about this. I’m not so sure that the Joker really needs an origin story, that’s part of his appeal right? And if we’ve learned anything fromRidley Scott’sAlienprequels it’s that no one wants to investigate the DNA of a brilliant monster. That said, this is just impossible not to get excited about. I’m not exactly singing a unique tune here, but I wasn’t crazy about what Leto did with the role or his general direction as a character inSuicide Squadso the idea of a new incarnation and the opportunity to see a new actor take on the role is really thrilling. And I repeat: Martin freaking Scorsese.
What do you guys think? Who would you like to see in the role? Sound off in the comments.
