Like it or lump it, everyone’s talking about Warner Bros. and Todd Phillips’ Joker movie.
It’s a standalone entity dedicated to the Clown Prince of Crime, one which explores a 1980s Gotham ravaged by poverty and crime. Within this cesspool of drugs and violence, the downtrodden Arthur Fleck begins his spiral of decline, and single-handedly sparks a revolution.
That, in a nutshell, is the core narrative anchoring Joker – a narrative so deliciously dark that it prompted genuine trepidation among theater chains. The ending is pretty bleak, too (on more than one level, particularly if you buy into the theory that Arthur imagined the entire plot from the comfort of Arkham Asylum), so it’s pretty surprising to hear that lead star Joaquin Phoenix initially wanted Joker to include an end-credits blooper reel a la Toy Story.
The revelation comes via GamesRadar (h/t ScreenRant), who spoke to Phoenix soon after Joker‘s worldwide debut – a debut that has since etched its name in the history books following last weekend’s historic opening. During the interview, the actor admitted that he pitched the idea of a post-credits blooper reel, perhaps as a way to keep audiences in their seats long after Joker‘s final shot.
Here’s what director Todd Phillips had to say about it, though:
The idea of a post-credits scene in this movie would seem wrong, and a little too light for me. That wouldn’t have been something we did. But Joaquin [Phoenix] said it would be funny to put bloopers alongside the names like they did in the old days.
Alas, as anyone who has seen the movie can attest, Phoenix’s idea remained firmly on the drawing board, leaving the Joker credits blooper-free and the audience to enjoy a rendition of Frank Sinatra “That’s Life.” And for Arthur Fleck, it’ll never be the same again.
