The most highly anticipated film of the year with reviews saying it’s an instant classic and it’s the film of the year! The Joker has arrived!
The basics
Rated 15
Run time is 2 hours 1 minutes
Released in the UK on the 4 October
The film
Written and directed by Todd Phillips. Phillips directed the ‘Hangover’ films that featured Bradley Cooper. The other writer includes Scott Silver.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Rovert De Niro. Phoenix has worked on a number of well known projects including; ‘Gladiator’, ‘Hotel Rwanda’, and ‘Her’. De Niro is a living icon and even named one of the greatest actors of all time. He has been in many iconic films such as ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘The Godfather: Part 2’, and ‘Goodfellas’.
Filming dates: 10th September 2018 – 3rd December 2018in New York City.
The film’s budget was $55 million, (just a fraction of the typical budget for a comic book-based film)
Joker is expected to make $60–90 million during its opening weekend in America.
The filmmakers used the fake working title ‘Romeo’ while filming to keep the film’s production a secret.
Joker is the first theatrical live-action Batman spin-off since Catwoman.
The premiere of the film had an 8-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
Phoenix said perfecting the Joker’s laugh was the toughest part about playing the character.
Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro disagreed on doing a table read before filming. De Niro wanted to do one however Phoenix did not. De Niro said “Tell him he’s an actor and he’s got to be there, I like to hear the whole movie, and we’re going to all get in a room and just read it.” In the end he turned up to the table read but the experience was so horrible for Phoenix that it made him ‘feel sick’.
Joker is Joaquin Phoenix’s first role in a comic book film. He previously turned down the title role in Doctor Strange as well as the chance to play the Hulk in The Avengers. This was because he wasn’t willing to sign on to the multi-picture deal that Marvel Studios required.
Joaquin Phoenix lost a lot of weight for his role as the Joker. It was so serious that filming could only be done once, with no opportunity for reshoots.
Todd Phillips revealed that Joaquin Phoenix “lost his composure on the set, sometimes to the bafflement of his co-stars.” “In the middle of the scene, he’ll just walk away and walk out,” Phillips said. “And the poor other actor thinks it’s them and it was never them — it was always him, and he just wasn’t feeling it.” Phoenix might have walked off set, but he always returned after taking a breather.
Phoenix didn’t want his Joker to be identifiable to psychiatrists so he ready lots on political assassins. “I wanted the freedom to create something that wasn’t identifiable. I didn’t want a psychologist to be able to identify the kind of person he was
Phillips confirmed they were in the editing process in
Other facts
The movie is meant to start a new company that will produce stand-alone DC movies.
Joaquin Phoenix was friends with the Heath Ledger who won an Oscar for his role as The Joker in 2008’s The Dark Knight.
Leonardo DiCaprio was rumored to play the Joker.
Shailiene Woodley was offered a part but had to turn it down due to her commitments to ‘Big Little Lies’.
Phoenix is the seventh actor to portray the Joker on the screen.
Warner brothers were hesitant to make the film at first but after a year of persuading they agreed.
Director Barbera has identified it as an early Oscar contender. However it may be too early to know.
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