Moviefone Editorial

Tag: joker

  • ‘Joker’ Casts Young Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth

    ‘Joker’ Casts Young Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth

    Film 4

    “Joker” will become even more entangled in “Batman” lore, casting two extremely familiar characters.

    ComicBook.com has the scoop that both young Bruce Wayne (the future Batman) and his caretaker and eventual butler, Alfred Pennyworth, will be appearing in the spinoff flick. Dante Pereira-Olson will be playing Bruce, and Douglas Hodge (“Red Sparrow,” “Black Mirror”) is playing Alfred.

    Pereira-Olson’s casting will serve as a mini-reunion with titular “Joker” star Joaquin Phoenix. The pair previously worked together in the 2017 thriller “You Were Never Really Here,” in which Pereira-Olson played the younger version of Phoenix’s character.

    In addition to Bruce Wayne and Alfred, Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father, will also have a role in “Joker.” The character (played by Brett Cullen, who replaced the blink-and-you-missed-it casting of Alec Baldwin) is reportedly being portrayed as a cheesy, overly-tan, Trump-style businessman.

    Those characters join an exceptionally starry supporting cast, which includes Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz. Director Todd Phillips has already released several sneak peeks of his actors in character, and the flick looks like it will be setting itself apart from previous portrayals of the familiar DC villain.

    “Joker” is due in theaters on October 4, 2019.

    [via: ComicBook.com]

  • ‘Joker’ Director Shares First Look at Zazie Beetz, Laments ‘Bad’ Paparazzi Set Photos

    ‘Joker’ Director Shares First Look at Zazie Beetz, Laments ‘Bad’ Paparazzi Set Photos

    20th Century Fox

    “Joker” director Todd Phillips is once again offering fans a behind the scenes glimpse at his upcoming DC spinoff film, this time with a first look at actress Zazie Beetz in character — and some disappointment over all of those leaked paparazzi shots from the film’s New York City set.

    In a post on Instagram, Phillips introduced fans to Beetz’s character, who’s so far remaining nameless, but is rumored to be a single mother who catches the eye of Joaquin Phoenix‘s titular villain.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BoDJn5NgueP/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Phillips said he was “so excited” to work with Beetz, whom “Deadpool 2” fans are no doubt eager to see back on the big screen. But one thing that’s not so exciting for Phillips? All of the paparazzi attention that’s been flooding the production.

    When a fan joked in an Instagram comment (via The Playlist) that Phillips should “stop with the hype” for the movie when it won’t be released for more than a year, the director responded that he’s sick of “bad” paparazzi shots getting so much attention.

    “So I figure, may as well put out some good ones,” Phillips wrote of the photo and video he has shared so far.

    Sounds like a solid plan to us. More official behind the scenes images are never a bad thing (as long as they’re spoiler-free, obviously).

    “Joker” is due in theaters on October 4, 2019. If you’re looking for more intel before then, head over to Phillips’s Instagram page.

    [h/t The Playlist]

  • ‘Joker’ Clip Gives First Look at Joaquin Phoenix ‘Laughing’ in Full Makeup

    ‘Joker’ Clip Gives First Look at Joaquin Phoenix ‘Laughing’ in Full Makeup

    Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
    Warner Bros.

    Not so serious now!

    Camera test footage for “Joker” has finally given fans a glimpse of Joaquin Phoenix as The Clown Prince of Crime.

    Todd Phillips‘ movie only just recently shared the first official photo of Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, who becomes DC’s infamous villain.

    Now we can see the Joker in “full white” makeup. This may not be his final look, since “Joker” is an origin story about Arthur finding his crazy self. Plus, they just started filming.

    Here’s the new post, from director Todd Phillips:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn_uihPAVhL/

    Well done. The song is “Laughing” by The Guess Who. The lyrics sound perfect for this story.

    In the first set photos, we saw Phoenix’s Arthur have some kind of altercation with a clown. That could be where he picks up the idea for this new look.

    Phillips has been doing an A+ job teasing out “Joker” photos so far — just enough — so hopefully he keeps this up without going overboard by the time the film releases in theaters on October 4th, 2019.

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  • Brett Cullen Joins ‘Joker,’ Replaces Alec Baldwin as Thomas Wayne

    Brett Cullen Joins ‘Joker,’ Replaces Alec Baldwin as Thomas Wayne

    Warner Bros.

    Veteran character actor Brett Cullen is the latest star to join the upcoming “Joker” standalone flick, taking over the part originally — and very, very briefly — assigned to Alec Baldwin.

    ComicBook.com reports that Warner Bros. has confirmed Cullen’s casting, replacing Baldwin as Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne (a.k.a. the future Batman). Baldwin was only attached to the part for a few days late last month before he exited the flick, thanks to a scheduling conflict.

    Maybe, though, Baldwin simply wanted to take a break from playing the current president, since rumored character descriptions for this version of Thomas Wayne have pegged him as a “cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.” It didn’t take WB and DC long to find their man in Cullen, who’s no stranger to comic book fare, having appeared in “Ghost Rider” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”

    Though Cullen — who’s also had roles on TV series including “Lost” and “Person of Interest” — isn’t exactly a household name, the rest of the cast is certainly pretty starry. “Joker” features big names including Joaquin Phoenix (playing the titular role), Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz.

    “Joker” currently has a release date in the cards for October 4, 2019.

    [via: ComicBook.com]

  • Here Are Joaquin Phoenix’s First ‘Joker’ Photos

    Here Are Joaquin Phoenix’s First ‘Joker’ Photos

    Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
    Todd Phillips on Instagram

    Why so serious, Arthur? We’ll find out when Joaquin Phoenix‘s “Joker” origin story hits theaters in just over a year.

    “Joker” stars Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in the story of how he became The Clown Prince of Crime. The “gritty character study” co-stars Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Frances Conroy. (But not Alec Baldwin as Thomas Wayne. Not anymore.)

    Todd Phillips is directing the DC movie, and he’s the one who showed off the first official look at Arthur Fleck:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BnzF1teH-yK/

    This official photo comes in tandem with Just Jared’s new gallery of set photos, showing Arthur Fleck with a clown. He takes the clown’s red nose, and apparently irritates the guy:

    Here’s some background and speculation from Screen Rant:

    “Some clown makeup is included as Phoenix antagonizes a clown in an alley, after visiting Ha-Ha’s Talent Booking in Amusement Mile. The talent agency Phoenix visits is likely the one run by Marc Maron’s character. For all fans know, it’s the clown in the set photos that eventually influences Arthur to don a similar look.”

    Maybe. “Joker” is now filming, so this should be the start of many official and unofficial photos, and — eventually — trailers.

    This DC/Warner Bros. standalone movie is separate from the DCEU of Jared Leto‘s Joker, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, etc. “Joker” is scheduled for release in theaters on October 4, 2019.

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  • Alec Baldwin Drops Out of ‘Joker’ Movie Just Days After Joining It

    Alec Baldwin Drops Out of ‘Joker’ Movie Just Days After Joining It

    Alec Baldwin Mission Impossible Fallout
    Paramount

    No joke, Alec Baldwin has dropped out of the “Joker” movie that he reportedly only joined a few days ago.

    On Monday, Deadline reported that Baldwin was set to play Thomas Wayne, Batman’s dad, in director Todd Phillips’s film opposite Joaquin Phoenix as the titular villain. The cast includes Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz.

    But Baldwin himself threw cold water on the casting report earlier today on Twitter:

    USA Today confirmed with the actor that he dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

    “I’m no longer doing that movie,” he said. “I’m sure there are 25 guys who can play that part.”

    Production begins on Sept. 10, so Phillips had better find a replacement soon. Not much is known about the movie, other than that it is a “gritty character study.” But Baldwin’s tweet seems to confirm rumors that Thomas Wayne will be portrayed as a “cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.”

  • ‘Joker’: Alec Baldwin Reportedly Cast as Batman’s Dad, Thomas Wayne

    ‘Joker’: Alec Baldwin Reportedly Cast as Batman’s Dad, Thomas Wayne

    Alec Baldwin in Blind
    Vertical Entertainment

    The cast of Todd Phillips‘s “Joker” movie is coming together, and just in time, too.

    The Joaquin Phoenix-starring film has reportedly added another high-profile actor. Multi-Emmy winner Alec Baldwin has joined as Thomas Wayne, Batman’s father, according to Deadline. Warner Bros. hasn’t confirmed the casting, but sources close to the project have shared the news, TheWrap reports.

    Filming is supposed to start Sept. 10, so it sounds like Baldwin will be getting to work soon. His role is a supporting one and it puts him alongside other big names, including Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, and Zazie Beetz. Phoenix will play the titular character, but so far, plot details have not been revealed. It has been cryptically described as a “gritty character study” and a crime drama.

    As Thomas Wayne, Baldwin will portray the father of Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman. The character sadly meets a tragic end in the comics, but we don’t know if that will be the case in “Joker.” If so, we just hope Baldwin gets some quality screen time first. You can’t kill off an Oscar nominee’s character right away, right?

    The “Joker” movie is slated to open Oct. 4, 2019.

    [via: Deadline; TheWrap]

  • Marc Maron in Talks to Join Joaquin Phoenix Joker Flick

    Marc Maron in Talks to Join Joaquin Phoenix Joker Flick

    Erica Parise/Netflix

    The supporting cast of Joaquin Phoenix’s upcoming Joker spinoff flick is shaping up to be quite the impressive – and eclectic – bunch, with the latest rumored addition to the ensemble bringing a comedic background to the gritty drama.

    Variety reports that Marc Maron — best known for his popular “WTF” podcast, as well as TV comedies like “GLOW” and his eponymous IFC series — is now circling the project, in which he would play yet another figure from the Joker’s pre-villainous past. Here’s the scoop on the character, according to the trade:

    According to sources, Maron would be portraying an agent on Robert De Niro’s talk show who plays a part in booking Phoenix’s character, and eventually causing him to go mad and become the Clown Prince of Crime.

    As Variety also reported last week, De Niro is rumored to be playing a talk show host character that’s a direct homage to the Oscar winner’s 1982 film, “The King of Comedy.” In that feature, a popular talk show host is kidnapped by a failing comedian played by De Niro; in the Joker film, De Niro would instead be playing the host.

    Rounding out the cast are Frances Conroy, who’s reportedly playing the Joker’s mother, Penny. Zazie Beetz (“Deadpool 2”) is also rumored to star, playing a single mother who catches the Joker’s eye.

    No word yet on a title or an official synopsis for the flick, though Phoenix alluded to plenty of mystery surrounding the movie in an interview with Moviefone earlier this month. Guess we’ll have to wait for more intel whenever filmmakers are ready to talk.

    The spinoff is set to begin production in September, and slated for release on October 4, 2019.

    [via: Variety]

  • Frances Conroy in Talks to Play Joaquin Phoenix’s Mother in Joker Movie: Report

    FX

    Joaquin Phoenix‘s gritty reimagining of the villainous Joker is apparently catnip for award-winning actors: After reports swirled on Monday morning that none other than Robert De Niro was circling the project, there appears to be yet another celebrated star in the mix.

    TheWrap is reporting that Frances Conroy is currently in talks to play Penny, the mother of Phoenix’s Joker, in the film. Conroy won several Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe for her role on HBO series “Six Feet Under,” and has also starred in dozens of episodes of “American Horror Story,” among other high-profile projects.

    If cast, the actress would add to the already-impressive lineup led by Phoenix and De Niro. “Deadpool 2” star Zazie Beetz is also in talks to join the feature.

    Despite its aim to attract big names to the ensemble, this Joker flick is positioning itself as a bit of an outlier to the bigger, flashier fare that DC has released in recent years. This film being billed as more of a crime thriller than a big-budget superhero feature, and is reportedly taking some inspiration from Alan Moore’s graphic novel “The Killing Joke,” as well as the De Niro film “The King of Comedy.”

    Production is slated to start this fall. Stay tuned for more intel as it becomes available.

    [via: TheWrap]

  • Robert De Niro in Talks for Joaquin Phoenix Joker Movie

    Sony Pictures Classics

    Yet another Oscar-winning actor is poised to join the DCEU: Robert De Niro is reportedly circling Joaquin Phoenix‘s upcoming Joker spinoff.

    Both The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline are claiming the exclusive (we’ll let them duke it out over who found out first), but both major trades are saying essentially the same thing: De Niro is in talks to play a talk show host who is a key figure in the Joker’s (Phoenix) transformation into a supervillain.

    While that’s a pretty vague description, the other big trade in the game, Variety, has an additional detail about DeNiro’s involvement that sounds pretty intriguing:

    Insiders say the script has ties to De Niro’s recent comedy “King of Comedy,” about a failing comedian who kidnaps a popular talk-show host to gain fame. In this case, the roles would be reversed, with De Niro playing the smug host.

    Since the flick is reportedly taking direct inspiration from a De Niro flick, it seems likely that the celebrated actor’s casting is all but a sure thing. It would be pretty great to see Phoenix go toe-to-toe with a great like De Niro, and we’re eager to have this deal become official.

    The as-yet-untitled Joker project, from writer-director Todd Phillips, is set to begin production in September.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety]