Joker Origins Film Expected To Begin Production This September

It looks like we now know when Warner Bros.’ Joker standalone movie will go before the cameras.

Just to clarify, we’re talking about the one that will tell the Clown Prince of Crime’s origins story and won’t take place in the DCEU. Not the recently announced second Joker spinoff which will feature Jared Leto reprising his controversial take on the villain from Suicide Squad.

According to Omega Underground, the movie – which is to be directed by The Hangover‘s Todd Phillips and produced by Martin Scorsese – will start filming this September in New York City. Though not confirmed by WB yet, this sounds pretty plausible, as another source previously claimed that the studio were planning a fall start date for the production. That same report also suggested the budget will come it at a relatively slim $55 million. That’s tiny compared to most superhero movies, but would suit the small-scale crime drama we expect the Joker vehicle to be.

It’s believed that the film will explore what turned the Clown Prince of Crime into Gotham’s greatest criminal. It appears to be taking a certain amount of inspiration from The Killing Joke, too, as the villain will start out as a failed comedian, similar to the Joker’s backstory in the acclaimed graphic novel. Also like the comic book, it looks to be set in the 1980s and will portray the character as a tragic figure, “tormented over the permanent smile put on his face.”

If you’re confused about why WB are plowing ahead with this movie that doesn’t take place in the DCEU, it’s said that the studio’s working on an Elseworlds-style spinoff brand that will allow filmmakers to tell DC stories without worrying about continuity. Reports say the umbrella title could be DC Black, which would line up with the new DC Black Label initiative in the comics.

We’d expect some concrete info about the Joker movie to arrive at next month’s San Diego Comic-Con, which takes place from July 19th-22nd, but until then, feel free to share your thoughts on the project in the comments section down below.