Joaquin Phoenix In Talks To Play The Joker For Martin Scorsese

Warner Bros. looks to be swinging for the fences when it comes to The Joker.

Not only has the studio entered into negotiations with legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese about the possibility of producing the “super dark” origin movie, one which Todd Phillips (The Hangover) will direct, but we heard last year that they were targeting none other than Leonardo DiCaprio for the gig.

Unfortunately, though, things didn’t work out with the A-lister, with sources saying a deal couldn’t be made. But fear not, fans, as it looks as if WB has now found someone else to take the role: The Master star Joaquin Phoenix. At least, that’s according to Variety, who report that the actor is in talks to play the Clown Prince of Crime in the upcoming origin story film.

From what we understand, Phoenix is Phillips’ top choice and the two had a meeting a few months back that went very well. Now, they’re just waiting for the studio to sign off before it’s made official. Even with a talent like Joaquin Phoenix on board, though, it’s unclear if fans will be able to throw their support behind the project. After all, it’s caused quite a bit of controversy ever since being announced.

I mean, part of what makes the Joker such a great villain is that we know practically nothing about him. Even when a little tidbit of information is released, it’s quickly changed around and debunked. As the pale-faced psychopath says, “Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another. If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice.”

The mystery is what appeals to us, since we don’t know much about his history. He could’ve been a friend of Bruce Wayne’s from childhood, or a distant cousin of Commissioner Gordon, or he could’ve just been a nobody who had one really bad day. That’s what makes him so intriguing. As such, we’re definitely a bit skeptical of what WB’s planning here, but with the talent that’s been assembled thus far, we’re at least willing to wait and see how things end up unfolding before rushing to any judgements.

The Joker is still simmering in the formative stages of development, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on the project – including Phoenix’s potential involvement in it – as more details begin to emerge. In the meantime, you can share your preliminary thoughts and reactions to this latest bit of news via the comments section below.