In this era of male-centric, male-dominated filmmaking, isn’t it sort of peak that we’re getting this Joker origin film? Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur/Joker in a stand-alone origin story from the DC Comics universe. Like, 99% of the time, Hollywood flat-out refuses to make movies where women or people of color have fleshed out, three-dimensional characters, and now they’re taking the most cartoonish and mysterious of all the superhero-villains and creating some kind of elaborate backstory for him, so we too can know that behind every white-dude psychopath, there’s tragedy and nuance. Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it, who knows.
Anyway, we’ve already seen Joaquin’s Joker without his Joker makeup. He’s been getting pap’d in New York as they film exteriors. And I guess a paparazzo (??) was on a subway platform a few days ago, because now we have photos of the Joker’s Joker makeup. This makes me really miss Heath Ledger and Christopher Nolan and what they did to move the Joker’s characterization forward. Ledger’s makeup was so brilliant because it was so… poorly done. It looked like someone just put white clown makeup on a corpse. The edition of the “scars” around Heath’s mouth was a brilliant choice too. All of which to say… Joaquin’s Joker makeup looks sad. It looks like someone’s budget Halloween makeup.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
You’re not wrong. I am sick and damn tired of celebrating psychos.
When a dude tells me his favorite comic book or fictional character is Joker, all I hear is “I am a faux-edgy d**chebag.”
Sad budget clown. Just like the rest of this dumb movie.
Edit: I will say that Joker has had a fairly tragic and elaborate backstory in some comic book runs for quite some time. The thing is, none of those comics were foolish enough to make him the MAIN character or use it to excuse his behavior. It was always designed to augment his antagonism of Batman and make the fight more morally complicated.
This x 100.
Scream it from the roofs!
I agree with everything said about enough edgy male idiocy, HOWEVER, I can’t help being intrigued by the idea of Joaquin tackling this. He’s one if the best actors out there atm and I wonder what he will do with this. Also I unironically like the make-up. Sorry.
@ichsi I also like the make-up, which corresponds to the description of Ledger’s above.>>”Ledger’s makeup was so brilliant because it was so… poorly done. “.
Okay–before people start coming in the with the negative comments…can we just give this a chance? I’m not even a DC fan (Marvel, all the way), but this does look interesting. No one can beat the portrayal that Heath did (RIP), but I give Joaquin props for trying to fill great shoes. Let’s see…
Reminds 100% of when Heath became the joker, the negative over the top comments, everything is the end of civilization anymore. Also lets face it Heath was the star of the Dark Knight and the main point of that movie. We have have already had a Joker as a lead and it one of the best movies in the last 10 years. I’m watching the hell out of this one.
I’m here for this.
He’s a terrific actor, and although I’m only casually familiar with the Joker backstory- I’d pay my 10 bucks to see his version of the devolution of this character. I don’t have a sense of dread (like when the announced the eternally stoic Ben Affleck as the Fatman). Phoenix has what it takes to portray the nihilistic, creepiness that embodies this character.
I am in awe with Joaquin Phoenix, the actor. The Master was a film that left me almost breathless and it was not only the great script but also his on-screen presence.
He could make me watch this (and I am really not a Marvel fan) although I understand the arguments against humanising evil and white evil dude explained. But for me is he not a white dude – he is the joker, and the white dude as the joker I can get behind 😉
Yeah, Joaquin really is a great actor, and I like him, which makes me worry about this film. He hasn’t gone big budget since the Gladiator days, and now he’s finally signed on to get his financial piece of the comic book movie pie and…. I dunno. I just don’t know if this was the best choice.
Definitely budget clown.
What a waste of time and money. I loved the Nolan – Bale Batman movies.
The Batfleck was bad enough, but now this?
I think it looks ok, better than Jared Leto. It’s kind of a mix between Heath ledger, jack Nicholson and the old campy joker from the Adam west batman show. I remember when the first pictures of Heath ledger as the joker came out and everyone was bashing it, I won’t judge yet
Jared Leto is an OK actor but the written was awful. Felt like I was watching metro sexual joker.
They’re only trying to make bank on a character that’s been around since the beginning. He’s been Batman’s number one archenemy thoughout many decades, and his popularity has endured. As a character with no superhuman powers, his sadistic phsycopathy and warped humor has made him an iconic character and probably one of the most greatest comic book villains and fictional characters ever created. He and Batman are peanut butter and jelly. So I get it. I also get DC Comics trying to do everything they possibly can to make their own wake instead of riding Marvel’s. So, sure… We have a cursory character study. Batman and Joker are yin and yang. Batman’s black, dwells in the dark, Joker is light and his theatrical madness requires an audience. Their parallel losses made them intrinsically opposite, but also linked. There’s a lot going on between these two, and it’s disturbing I know as much as I do. A husband and three boys who enjoy collecting comic books as well as all things superhero, I’m kind of ‘Osmosis Mom.’
Having said all that, I was updating my TV and movie watchlists on IMDB and damn. There are really so so many comic book characters and stories being filmed and plan to be filmed. I’m okay with it though as it is what it is. And all these Dads (and Mom’s) who grew up watching their favorite characters on Saturday morning cartoons, and grandparents and great-grandparents who totally remember make these tv shows and movies kind of worth it for monetary reasons obviously, but also because these characters carry an extraordinary amount of nostalgia and have been the glue of forged relationships throughout time. Wow, I had no idea I felt this way lmao. I think I need to send a few texts!
I love everything about this comment!!
I can’t wait to see the movie lol
The solution to more diversity isn’t to quit making movies about white men. What a dumb idea. This Joker movie isn’t taking away anything from women or POC.
I don’t like it, but I also don’t really like Joaquin Phoenix. I didn’t like Jared Leto’s Joker either. I think there are already too many Joker movies, so they shouldn’t be giving them to just anyone. If you’re going to do yet another one, it has to be really standout in a monumental way. I’m skeptical that Joaquin will do that. I’d like to be proven wrong. No…I guess I’d just like to see new stories and characters.