The Joker is one of the most iconic villains in the DC Universe. As such, movies with him in it wouldn't really be a hard sell. Granted, most people know and love the character because of how well he works as a villain for Batman, but we cannot deny that there is a certain charm to the character itself. This is especially apparent when the late Heath Ledger wowed moviegoers with a spectacular performance in Christopher Nolan's take on his Dark Knight series.
The DC Extended Movie Universe aimed for a charismatic Joker, too, with the release of "Suicide Squad." Unfortunately, most critics panned the movie and it was generally thought as a snoozefest.
Jared Leto and company may have tried their best to portray their characters well, but it seems that even superb acting cannot rescue a bland if not inconsistent plot.
Joker after 'Suicide Squad'
But surely one apparent flop like "Suicide Squad" is not enough to stop DC from making most of the character. Recent reports tell us that a new Joker origin movie will soon be in the works, produced none other by renowned director Martin Scorsese.
The actual directorial duties will be handled by Todd Philips, known for his work in "The Hangover" series. It will be based on a script written by Scott Silver. Silver is known for directing "The Fighter," an action-drama movie that starred Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.
A report by The Verge tells us that the movie will be "part of a new sub-brand at Warner Bros. that will focus on creating original riffs on various DC characters." Those who did like Jared Leto's performance in "Suicide Squad" would perhaps be disappointed to hear that he will not be reprising the role. Or at least not just yet, and not in this movie.
Joker origin movie set in the '80s
However, it might be fitting to forget everything you know about "Suicide Squad" in anticipation for this film. Martin Scorsese is pushing influence in this one, and it seems like he is going for a different aesthetic from the supercharged one we often see in superhero movies nowadays. The movie will take place in 1980, after all, and it is described as a "hard-boiled crime film."
News of the Joker origin movie seems to indicate that the DC Extended Universe is done with competing with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That is, as far as narrative consistency is concerned. The latest movies so far — "Wonder Woman," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Suicide Squad" — did not really mesh their narratives and styles well, or at least not as good as MCU did.
In any case, this new direction that DC is taking is sure a welcome one. Who knows, this new Joker origin movie could be the follow-up to the overwhelming success of "Wonder Woman," especially since big names in the film industry are involved.
