Now that the Joker origin movie is officially a go at Warner Bros., let’s just say that fans online have had some, um, rather colorful things to remark about something that hasn’t even begun shooting. Granted, the DC Extended Universe hasn’t had the greatest of track records with general audiences, but keep in mind that this’ll be a different beast entirely.
Personally, I’m of two minds on the subject because the picture could indeed go either way, though Joaquin Phoenix has never been known to approach a role lightly, and has already opened up about why he took the gig. But if we required another rational mind to prevail, Kevin Smith didn’t waste time chiming in.
Though the fan favorite filmmaker worded the following statement made on his Hollywood Babble-On podcast a bit differently than I would have, it really does sound like he and I are in the same boat:
“Here’s the thing, at the end of the day, I’ll see a trailer — I know me. Even if the trailer is terrible, even if the trailer is a minute of footage of them killing my mother in front of me, I’m sure I’ll be like, ‘Well, I’ll give it a shot when it comes out.’ I know I’m gonna f—n’ watch this movie.”
As I pointed out earlier, many have been quick to jump to conclusions, but Smith urges everyone to just chill out:
“They’re experimenting. You gotta applaud ‘em for this. Everyone’s always sh—tting on Warner Bros. going, ‘You’re f—king up your movies!’ And like, this is them trying a new direction where they’re like, ‘Look, obviously the extended universe stuff we’re having a problem with. How about we just go back to the old way, which we used to do, where we just f—in’ take material, give it to a director, and say f—in’ go, and we don’t worry about a fanbase and connecting the movies.’”
Meanwhile, Smith’s co-host, Ralph Garman, represents the opposite side of the coin by saying, “you don’t make a Joker movie without Batman,” but let’s not forget Heath Ledger’s iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime came into existence before crossing paths with the Caped Crusader in The Dark Knight.
Given that, I’m willing to approach Todd Phillips’ take on the Joker with an open mind. Really, have you taken a moment to put aside comic book canon and, I don’t know, consider it may just be a good movie?