Joker "The Joker" in development with Todd Phillips and Martin Scorsese attached? - Part 2

[Gothamsknight]

I agree Ledger is in a league of his own because he's the first, but the Joker is one of those characters that can be played many different ways, and still embody the Joker, so I'm mostly hoping for a memorable take, that will at least allow for debate on which one is better.

This is true, but the comparisons are inevitable. It's why I often try not to honestly. I really think we will get something very special from Phoenix regardless if he's as good as ledger. I just want another memorable performance. Especially after the letoker disaster.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I agree Ledger is in a league of his own because he's the first, but the Joker is one of those characters that can be played many different ways, and still embody the Joker, so I'm mostly hoping for a memorable take, that will at least allow for debate on which one is better.

But... he wasn't the first. There were people who said that he could never be better than Nicholson back when he was cast. And if internet forums existed in the 1980s, you probably would have found a few people who said Jack would never be better than Cesar Romero.

Hell, if the internet was around in the 1960s, you probably would have had people say Cesar Romero could never be as good as Conrad Veidt!

 

[MrsKent26]

Maybe but let's be honest with ourselves, are we really expecting anybody to rival ledger? He's in a league of his own. All I want from this film is something unique and good. I never expected Phoenix to come close to ledger

I don't expect Phoenix to outdo Ledger, but I do think he has the capacity to be just as good.

I still think his performance in Gladiator is one of the best villain portrayals ever.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Ledger is in a class of his own.

You watch Ledger in TDK and for me, it's one of the only times where I cannot 'see' the actor at all, at no point are you sitting watching it, going 'oh that's Heath Ledger as the Joker', you are watching a fully developed and immersive character take full stance in a performance and story.

 

[Gothamsknight]

You watch Ledger in TDK and for me, it's one of the only times where I cannot 'see' the actor at all, at no point are you sitting watching it, going 'oh that's Heath Ledger as the Joker', you are watching a fully developed and immersive character take full stance in a performance and story.

this, this and this. And that does not happen often at all

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah. The only moment in the entire movie where he even resembles himself at all is when he's disguised as a cop during the funeral scene. And even then, you only see him for like a second.

 

[FunkMiller]

You watch Ledger in TDK and for me, it's one of the only times where I cannot 'see' the actor at all, at no point are you sitting watching it, going 'oh that's Heath Ledger as the Joker', you are watching a fully developed and immersive character take full stance in a performance and story.

Yes. It’s frankly insane how much he disappears into that role. And for my mind is the greatest genre villain performance of all time.

Yes.

Better than Vader.

 

[WhoMani]

You watch Ledger in TDK and for me, it's one of the only times where I cannot 'see' the actor at all, at no point are you sitting watching it, going 'oh that's Heath Ledger as the Joker', you are watching a fully developed and immersive character take full stance in a performance and story.

Pretty much agree with you and the good writing helped as well. Ledger's Joker felt real and the character had a solid motivation that you can understand. Amazing performance from Ledger.

 

[Grommers]

But... he wasn't the first. There were people who said that he could never be better than Nicholson back when he was cast. And if internet forums existed in the 1980s, you probably would have found a few people who said Jack would never be better than Cesar Romero.

Hell, if the internet was around in the 1960s, you probably would have had people say Cesar Romero could never be as good as Conrad Veidt!

Sorry I should clarify he's the first with the Joker that's a grungier take (which I feel is closer to Joaquin Phoenix than Nicholsons, as I think their is a clear difference between Nicholsons and Ledgers, I'm not entirely sold on Joaquin's too be totally different than Ledgers.)

 

[Deck Rickard]

Sorry I should clarify he's the first with the Joker that's a grungier take (which I feel is closer to Joaquin Phoenix than Nicholsons, as I think their is a clear difference between Nicholsons and Ledgers, I'm not entirely sold on Joaquin's too be totally different than Ledgers.)

Ah, yeah I gotcha. Yeah, Ledger was the first to do more of a "hobo" style clown and Phoenix's Joker does look like it's taking cues from that but I hope he's different enough that it doesn't just feel like a knock-off of Ledger.

 

[ManiacalMight]

This looks intriguing...so far, anyway.

 

[Asr]

I'm with most people here that Ledger's Joker was an amazing performance, and Phoenix's Joker looks very promising as well. However, while I definitely appreciated Ledger's performance, I'm still waiting for a live-action Joker that resembles the animated one voiced by Mark Hamill in the DCAU—would really like to have a well-dressed perma-white green-haired Joker that's equal parts scary, funny, and crazy. The DCAU Joker pulled that characterization combo off perfectly and we just haven't gotten that in live action yet.

I do like that Phoenix's Joker seems to have the clown backstory that the DCAU Joker had. Hoping it's a little closer to DCAU Joker than Ledger's was, which really wasn't that close (Ledger's took himself too seriously, although he did get both the scary and crazy).

 

[Boy Scout]

Wasn’t the DCAU Joker a gangster?

 

[LvtLeeTDK]

Joaquin Phoenix is a better actor than Heath Ledger. So who knows.

Heath hass the potential to be one of the best actor ever. But he died to young (at 28) while Joaquin has been there for years, delivering stellar performances. I would count on Joaquin to beat Heath.

 

[Asr]

Wasn’t the DCAU Joker a gangster?

I can't remember off-hand for sure, but I think so? That's yet another element that I'd like to see in a live-action Joker that hasn't really been translated yet.

 

[Boy Scout]

I can't remember off-hand for sure, but I think so? That's yet another element that I'd like to see in a live-action Joker that hasn't really been translated yet.

Jack Nicholson.

But I brought it up because I wasn’t aware of the DCAU version having a clown background (beyond being, you know, The Joker ). I remember only one allusion being made to his past, and he was established to be a gangster.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Wasn’t the DCAU Joker a gangster?

I can't remember off-hand for sure, but I think so? That's yet another element that I'd like to see in a live-action Joker that hasn't really been translated yet.

Yes, he's shown to be a member of Sal Valestra's gang during the flashbacks in Mask of the Phantasm.

 

[Greens]

Phoenix is reportedly making $4.5 million off this bad boy

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Gothamsknight]

Love it!

 

[Scarecrow_King]

Jack Nicholson.

But I brought it up because I wasn’t aware of the DCAU version having a clown background (beyond being, you know, The Joker ). I remember only one allusion being made to his past, and he was established to be a gangster.

His gangster past (pre-chemicals) was fleshed out quite a bit in the Mask of the Phantasm.

 

[Man in the Suit]

 

[BaelaTargaryen]

In his follow-up tweet McWeeny said that this movie will appeal to the people who think that Tyler Durden was the hero of Fight Club (I can't post the tweet itself because of cursing).

 

[ThatOneWolfDude]

In his follow-up tweet McWeeny said that this movie will appeal to the people who think that Tyler Durden was the hero of Fight Club (I can't post the tweet itself because of cursing).

Lol that's supposed to be a bad thing?

 

[brandeezy89]

I saw the suppose spoiler (If it's even in the movie) and it's not even worth people having an outrage over. Especially with a character who's a psychopath and does crazy ish for no reason.