The Joker May Launch A Series Of Auteur-Driven DC Projects At Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.’ nascent Joker origin story is no laughing matter; in fact, it has the potential to be a logistical nightmare.

In one corner, WB has Jared Leto’s irreverent Clown Prince of Crime, who is all set to return for both Suicide Squad 2 and Gotham City Sirens, despite reports to the contrary. And that’s before you even factor the newly-announced Joker and Harley Quinn spinoff into the equation, which has Leto and Margot Robbie attached to headline as the two deranged DC icons.

All three of those projects are situated within the DC Extended Universe, but as previously reported, the Todd Phillips Joker origin story was birthed outside the confines of Warner’s interconnected franchise, and it may well herald the beginning of an entire DC series dedicated to “auteur-driven” tentpoles.

First reported by Variety, WB’s decision to form a new, untitled DC banner – one that’s unbeholden to the continuity that binds Wonder Woman, Justice League, and The Flash together – allows the studio to explore standalone projects centering on some of the most iconic characters in the business. And it all begins with The Joker.

In short, Warner’s “banner is intended to give the studio the chance to expand the canon with unusual story angles,” not unlike how it handled Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. It’s arguably one of the best examples of a self-contained superhero series, and it appears the Powers That Be over at Warner Bros. are keen to foster a sense of creativity when it comes to its costumed crusaders.

Pitched as a “super dark and real” interpretation of Batman’s arch-nemesis, The Joker origin movie currently has a treatment from Todd Phillips, who may wind up directing the standalone project should the stars align. Industry veteran Martin Scorsese is also said to be producing the pic.