Yesterday saw the premiere of the first trailer for the upcoming DC superhero film “Joker.” However, to call it a “superhero film” is a bit silly, considering it’s clearly aiming to be an R-rated psychological thriller featuring nary a hero to be found. Alas, it is a film that takes place in Gotham (where Batman resides), so yeah, it’s a superhero film. But, what it most definitely isn’t is a sequel to Martin Scorsese’s “The King of Comedy.” As actor Robert De Niro explains, that doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t some homage in Todd Phillips’ film.
For those not aware, De Niro not only stars in “The King of Comedy” as the mentally unstable comedian Rupert Pupkin, but also appears as a late-night talk show host/comedian in the upcoming “Joker.” But according to a new interview with IndieWire, the similarities between Pupkin and his “Joker” character aren’t as overt as you might be expecting.
“There’s a connection, obviously, with the whole thing,” said De Niro. “But it’s not as a direct connection as the character I’m playing being Rupert many years later as a host.”
He added, “If they would’ve proposed that to me, I would’ve said, ‘That’s interesting, maybe we’ll try to do that.’ But by making this type of film, it is connected in a way, as you’ll see.”
Oh boy, can you imagine the fan upheaval that would have occurred if it was revealed that “Joker” is a spiritual successor/pseudo-sequel to Scorsese’s film? Film Twitter would have been set on fire, no doubt.
READ MORE: Marc Maron Describes DC’s ‘Joker’ Film As A “Character Study Of A Mentally Ill Person”
However, if you’ve seen the recent trailer for “Joker,” it’s quite obvious that Phillips was heavily influenced by Pupkin’s story for his film. The premise, as we know it, features the origins of the Batman villain as he is clearly a man suffering from mental illness (who bathes his mother…) and aspires to make people smile through comedy (but eventually devolves into a life of crime as a terrifying clown).
We’ll have to wait until October 4 to see just how well Joaquin Phoenix channels Pupkin when “Joker” hits theaters.