Joker (2019; WB, Village Roadshow, DC) [Record Oct. box office]

[Dr Mordrid]

Different production team

Inspired by the origin in "The Killing Joke"

Release: October 4, 2019

Production: Village Roadshow Pictures, DC Films

Release: WB

Directed by: Todd Phillips (Hangover trilogy, A Star is Born)

Producers: Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper

Writters: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver

Synopsis: a failed stand-up comedian, disregarded by society, is driven insane and becomes a psychopathic criminal mastermind.

Cast

Arthur Fleck/Joker: Joaquin Phoenix
Sophie Dumond (G/F): Zazie Beetz
Penny Fleck (mom): Frances Conroy
Thomas Wayne: Brett Cullen
Talk show host: Robert De Niro

Undisclosed characters: Bill Camp, Josh Pais, Shea Whigham, Douglas Hodge, more

Official + set video

[Dr Mordrid]

The film is set in 1981

A bit more casting

Arthur Fleck/Joker: Joaquin Phoenix
Penny Fleck (Arthur's mom): Frances Conroy
Sophie Dumond (Arthur's G/F): Zazie Beetz
Thomas Wayne: Brett Cullen
Alfred Pennyworth: Douglas Hodge
Bruce Wayne: Dante Pereira-Olson
Talk show host: Robert De Niro
GCPD cops: Bill Camp and Shea Whigham
Ted Marco: Marc Maron
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Comedian: Glenn Fleshler
Nurse: Brian Tyree Henry

And numerous "Arkham patients"

Joker poster 1 - 800.jpg

[Dr Mordrid]

https://www.superherohype.com/movies...CKTg9fdm3VB.99

'Joker' Has Officially Been Rated R

In case there was still any doubt that 'JOKER' won't be like other comic book films, this latest bit of news should be the final straw. Via CBR, the film's official website has recently been updated to confirm its R-rating.

JOKER has been rated R for "strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language, and brief sexual images."

"Disturbing behavior" is the understatement of the year when it comes to the Clown Prince of Crime. Still, seeing it reflected in the film's official rating all but guarantees that this will be a more brutal version of the Joker than we've seen onscreen before. It also makes us wonder what sort of havoc the Joker is wreaking in order to earn this distinction. It also beats next year's 'BIRDS OF PREY' to the punch of being the first R-rated DC film.
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[Dr Mordrid]

Sounds like we'll be seeing Joker and Co. at the Oscars.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...vealed-1237684

Venice: Todd Phillips' 'Joke' Wins Golden Lion, Roman Polanski Wins Silver Lion

The 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival closed Saturday night with the top prize going to the villain origin story starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Todd Phillips' Joker took home the Golden Lion top prize in Venice on Saturday night, while Roman Polanski won the second place Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize for An Officer and a Spy.

Upon receiving the prize, Phillips thanked "Warner Bros. and DC for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking such a bold swing on me and this movie."
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[Dr Mordrid]

RT
"Joker" centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone fictional story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips' exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham's fractured society. A clown-for-hire by day, he aspires to be a stand-up comic at night...but finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, Arthur makes one bad decision that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty character study.

Rating: R (strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language, brief sexual images)

There's a huge backlash from the SJW's and others about this film; many worrying it'll spark another Aurora style shooting, and others about the violence Arthur/Joker descends into.

There's already talk of Oscar nominations for Joaquin Phoenix, Director Todd Phillips, and the film.

[Dr Mordrid]

This is part of a new series of Warner/DC "Black Label" films, which in the graphic novels means for mature audiences.

Films

Joker (2019)

Birds of Prey (2020; Harley Quinn, Black Canary, Huntress, Cassandra Cain, and Renee Montoya)

Graphic novels

Superman: Year One (Frank Miller, 2019)

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth (2019)

Harleen (2019)

[Dr Mordrid]

Wow... only 8% of viewers were 13-17.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...5m-bow-1245685

'Joker' Has the Last Laugh With Record $93.5M U.S. Bow, $234M Globally
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The dark, R-rated supervillain movie starring Joaquin Phoenix as a mentally ill misfit turned homicidal maniac did even more business overseas, raking in $140.5 million from more than 70 markets for a global start of $234 million (it doesn't yet have a release date in China). Both figures likewise set new benchmarks for the month.

In North America, Joker bested last year's Venom, which started off with $80.3 million domestically. To boot, the controversial origin pic danced to one of the best three-day bows of all time for an R-rated title, as well as boasting the fifth-biggest weekend launch of 2019 to date. It is also Warner Bros.' biggest debut in two years.

Joker -- far from an ordinary superhero pic but an origin story laced with realism -- has sparked widespread headlines and concern for its nihilistic themes and violence, prompting cinemas and police departments to ramp up security and remind patrons that face paint, masks and toy weapons aren't allowed.
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[Evildead666]

Frankly not sure what all the Fuss was about.

Yes, it was an amazing performance by Joaquim Phoenix, but not what i'd consider worthy of any danger.
Maybe from the time it took to get to any real violence.

I liked it, but it felt a lot like the first part of something.

[Dr Mordrid]

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I liked it, but it felt a lot like the first part of something.

Start off by understanding the Batman-Joker story is one of two damaged people with a shared history, obsessed with each other, and frequently in collision. One turning to evil, the other obsessed with protecting others from it.

The intent was to tell the villain's origin story from the med/psych perspective - and ground him in reality. The psychosis, the rejection, losing his treatments, and why Joker is fixated on Bruce. Joker's laugh; pseudo bulbar affect.

This all builds up to Joker's clash with Thomas Wayne, the murder of Bruce's parents (where his psychology gets warped), and Joker's connection to it.

Going forward is the rest of the story, with Batman's reset coming in 2021's 'The Batman' where the character returns to his Detective Comics roots.