While everyone is looking forward to Avengers: Endgame – and so am I – it’s actually Todd Phillips’ Joker origin movie that tops my list of most anticipated flicks to hit theaters in 2019. Maybe it’s simply because the Clown Prince of Crime is my favorite villain, but it certainly helps when someone crafts a tale that looks like it will be one to remember for years to come.
As you may have figured, I can be counted among those impressed by the official trailer released just this morning. For the most part, I’ve seen positive reaction on social media, though there remain those who are skeptical. Honestly, folks who say they don’t like seeing the Joker romanticized have good reason to have reservations of their own, but I don’t think that’s quite what’s happening here – it was Suicide Squad that more so humanized the iconic evildoer. Instead, I believe we’re merely getting an intimate glimpse at a man slowly losing his marbles.
Still, my own observations and takeaways could be premature, as Phillips himself, the project’s director, told press at CinemaCon that most assumptions aren’t even in the ballpark:
“I don’t have a lot to say about the filming because it’s still taking shape, but also I want it to be a surprise. That said, there’s been a lot of chatter about what this film is and isn’t and most of it hasn’t been very accurate. But I suppose that’s to be expected when you set out to make an origin story about a beloved character that basically has no definitive origin.”
Well, he’s right about adapting someone who has “no definitive origin.” Even The Killing Joke is met with criticism to this day, despite Alan Moore’s masterwork saying the Ace of Knaves’ beginnings are pretty much multiple choice. And to get back to the idea of humanizing him, that’s a touchy subject as well, which forced Brian Azzarello to examine the character through the eyes of a third party when assembling the graphic novel titled Joker in 2008.
Even with all the ambiguity surrounding this project, Phillips made a valiant effort to some up his movie with this statement:
“When the marketing department at Warners asked me the other day to describe the movie, I said, ‘I can’t.’ They said, ‘Well, at least tell us the genre.’ And I thought about it for a minute and I said, ‘It’s a tragedy.’ And I think if the brilliant Joaquin Phoenix was here with me he would agree.”
Though one would expect another trailer or two to drop before opening weekend, it’s entirely possible that we won’t know all there is to about Joker until it arrives in theaters on October 4th. As always though, keep watching this space as more develops.