Gautam Anand
‘Joker’ fans were in for a surprise on Sunday as the official Instagram handle of the film released a series of six short videos teasing an upcoming trailer. The clips have a single frame of what appears to be white scratches but when pieced together, the scratches come together to form a message. DC comic fans have every reason to get excited since the message reads that the new trailer for the Joker will release on Wednesday. Notably, ‘Joker’ is slated to release on October 4, 2019.
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The clips mostly come from the first trailer of ‘Joker’. We see Joaquin Phoenix parading around in his makeup and attire, while his pre-joker self climbs into a fridge in despair. Robert De Niro is also seen playing the role of a late-night comedy host. In case you are unaware, the role is a subtle nod to Jerry Lewis of ‘King of Comedy’, a role that De Niro made iconic with his portrayal.
‘Joker’ is helmed by Todd Phillips and is expected to put a new spin on the origin story of Batman’s most infamous nemesis. Notably, in the comics, the Joker himself has provided various origin stories so there is a confusion about the truth of the origins of the clown prince of Gotham. Several comic issues have taken advantage of the situation, even going to the extent of giving the Joker a supernatural origin story. However, one of the finest and most widely accepted takes on the story comes from Alan Moore in ‘Batman: The Killing Joke‘. The issue explores how Joker got caught up in a life of crime due to his debts. An unfortunate accident during a criminal escapade resulted in him falling into a vat of acid, leading to the insanity and bleached skin that we associate with the Joker. More importantly, the issue humanized the Joker, showing him to be a victim of circumstances.
The upcoming ‘Joker’ movie borrows some elements from Moore’s seminal work. Here we see Phoenix play the role of Arthur Fleck, a failed stand up comedian who can barely make the ends meet. On top of this, Fleck has to take care of his ailing mother, played by Frances Conroy. As the dirty world of Gotham City continues to beat down and break Arthur, he finally decides that the only way to bring a change in his life is to put on a happy face as the Clown Prince of Crime.
Phoenix is a fantastic actor who is bound to do justice to the role. He has appeared in a wide array of roles, from a grieving lover in ‘Her’ to a vengeful hitman in ‘You Were Never Really Here’. Meanwhile, De Niro needs no introduction. The veteran has another movie slated for release in 2019 apart from ‘Joker’. He is appearing in Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’ alongside Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.
