Geekery: The Joker’s Real Face is Revealed
On Monday we got a look at Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck. Director Todd Phillips closed out the week with a look at The Joker, with music that may give a hint as to the era the new origin movie is set in.
The rumors that this is taking cues from The King of Comedy seem to be panning out based on the wardrobe and the song included in this first look at Batman’s nemesis in full makeup. It’s more Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey or opera inspired than the flashy gangster style of Leto’s Joker. It’s also more than a little John Wayne Gacy, which I doubt is a mistake. The actor starts the clip out with a neutral expression sans makeup, and slowly merges with a projection of white, blue, and red face paint and adopts a much more menacing expression.
Repost from #toddphillips1:
Camera test (w/ sound). Joker. pic.twitter.com/R9W2QqKwNS— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) September 21, 2018
In case you got it stuck in your head like I did, the song is ‘Laughing’ by the Guess Who which was released in 1969. If all the rumors and the hints we’ve been given so far pan out I’m expecting a Gotham set in the 1970s – crime ridden and covered in graffiti like NYC of the same era. Screenwriter Scott Silver, who was nominated for an Oscar for The Fighter, is familiar with gritty settings. Phillips brings in an understanding of dark comedy. I don’t know… it’s DC, as usual I have no hopes here but they do have my attention with the very not Zack Snyder-like choices here.
The currently untitled movie is scheduled to be released October 4, 2019.
