Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker movie set to be different from other DCEU films

The Joaquin Phoenix solo Joker movie is finally happening. But according to DC, this look at the Clown Prince of Crime will have a different feel to it.

DC fans, it sounds like we really are getting that second Joker solo movie after all. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joaquin Phoenix has officially finalized his deal with the studio to play the iconic villain of the DC Universe.

And while Jared Leto is also getting his own solo Joker movie, the studio revealed that Phoenix’s version of the character will have a different feel to it. The solo movie will also take a different approach from the DCEU and other movies featuring the villain.

Director Todd Phillips said the film will be an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

Now, the idea of a grittier version of the Joker is nothing new. Still, the film and Joaquin Phoenix may still deliver a truly different direction than Jared Leto’s, Jack Nicholson’s, or Heath Ledger’s take on the character.

With Jared Leto, we saw a Joker who felt much trendier and urban. With his silver-capped teeth, ability to command a club scene, and of course those dead, cold eyes, Leto’s Joker was truly a cold, homicidal maniac. Then again, his take was meant to match the overall feel of Suicide Squad.

It has been a long time since Jack Nicholson took on the role of the Joker. Yet, he is still one of the more iconic versions of the character. In this take on the villain, we see a bad guy who is exuberant and manic, while also being obsessive and dark in many ways. One could almost call Nicholson’s version of the character fun and vibrant.

Then there is Heath Ledger. He cemented his place in DC history as a Joker that likely all other Jokers aim to be. Ledger took the iconic character and pushed past what so many other actors have even hinted at. His version was as much a terrorist as he was a tormented soul who had been a victim of terror. Heath Ledger was truly mesmerizing in his approach to the famed villain.

And now we have Joaquin Phoenix to look forward to. Although we don’t have much to go on yet, it sounds like this particular origin story is going to do what all of the other movies have been unable to do. It will show us who the man behind the villain is. As a character study, we can learn what led the Joker down his dark and twisted path.

With a budget of just $55 million, this particular DC film has a much lower budget than fellow superhero movies. And yet that may be exactly what the project needs — a story that draws in audiences and not outrageous effects and added sets.

Related Story: DC movies: Why not just recast the Joker every time?

For now, we’ll just have to wait to see what Joaquin Phoenix can offer to the legacy of the Joker. Hopefully, he can live up to the high standards set by previous actors who have taken on the role.