There are pros and cons regarding Warner Bros.’ decision to allow director Todd Phillips to have complete freedom to create his own unique vision for “Joker.” Judging by the reception from critics and the Venice Film Festival jury (who gave the comic book movie the coveted Golden Lion), the creative freedom allowed the filmmaker the chance to produce a truly special film. However, in doing so, Phillips has made something that doesn’t fit into the larger DC comic book film universe. And therein lies the major problem for some fans — how the hell can Joaquin Phoenix show up as the Joker in a future ‘Batman’ film?
Now that “Joker” is not only poised to be a box office hit, but also a critical darling with serious awards season aspirations, it would be absolutely silly for WB to not want to have Phoenix’s version of the title villain show up a ‘Batman’ film with the studio’s new caped crusader played by Robert Pattison. However, according to Todd Phillips, that’s just not something that can happen.
READ MORE: Todd Phillips’s ‘Joker’ Takes Home The Golden Lion At The 2019 Venice Film Festival
Speaking to Variety, the filmmaker shut that discussion down pretty quickly when he was asked whether or not we’ll see Phoenix’s Joker appear in a ‘Batman’ film.
“No, definitely not,” he replied.
That being said, that doesn’t mean that the character can’t show up in various films. It just won’t be the one that Phillips and Phoenix created for “Joker.”
Phillips added, “Oddly, in the states, comic books are our Shakespeare it seems, and you can do many many versions of ‘Hamlet.’ There will be many more jokers, I’m sure, in the future.”
This is likely not the answer that fans (and to be fair, WB) were hoping for. With “Joker” already succeeding beyond the studio’s wildest dreams, the suits are probably wishing Phillips was more open to the idea of a crossover. But hey, a comic book film focused on a supervillain winning the Golden Lion and soon to be dominating the box office is pretty great no matter what.
“Joker” will arrive in theaters on October 4.