We know what the Joker looks like -- there have been enough incarnations of the character to burn an image in our mind of what we expect as far as a costume.
Most notably, of course, was Heath Ledger’s 2008 interpretation in "The Dark Knight," for which he posthumously won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
More recently, Jared Leto’s Joker, though not necessarily well-received in “Suicide Squad” (then again, neither was the film as a whole), was enough of a performance to garner a standalone film.
Todd Phillips, who’s behind “The Hangover” and its sequels, is in the midst of creating “Joker” alongside Martin Scorsese, the first in what is primed to be a series of DC character-motivated films separate from the DC Extended Universe. Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz (who was a standout in “Deadpool 2”) have signed on alongside the Clown Prince of Gotham himself, this time portrayed by Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix.
Photos of Phoenix in full costume have surfaced from a New York City subway platform, where we can’t exactly tell if the people in the background are extras or just really confused-slash-frightened NYC citizens.
Even before Phoenix puts the makeup on, I’m slightly terrified of his demeanor.
The origin story will follow Arthur Fleck’s downfall from failed comedian to clown-faced criminal and will hit theaters Oct. 4, 2019.