10 High-Profile 2019 Movies You Should Be Worried About
1. Joker (October 4)
The Movie:
In news that seems scarcely believable, unconfirmed producer Martin Scorsese and director Todd Phillips bring the Joker's origin story to the big screen, with Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime and Robert De Niro lending support.
Why You Should Be Worried:
This whole thing seems like a crazy fever dream. Martin Scorsese, one of the greatest directors in history, possibly producing a Joker movie. Robert De Niro, one of the greatest actors in history, co-starring in a Joker movie. Todd Phillips, director of Road Trip, Old School and The Hangover trilogy, directing a Joker movie. And Joaquin Phoenix, one of the finest acting talents of his generation, starring as the Joker? What madness is this?!?
As crazy as it may be, the question remains the same; does the Joker need an origin story?
Part of the character's enduring appeal is that he doesn't usually have one, and just arrives on the page or screen as a fully-formed agent of chaos, ready to wreak havoc on Gotham City. The idea of Joker seemed as far-fetched as recently as two weeks ago but this thing is really happening, and starts shooting in September in New York with a budget of just $55m, and is being treated as a 'darker, more experimental crime saga'.
Nobody really seems to know what to make of it, but at least its virtually guaranteed that Phoenix will give his customary powerhouse performance. The alleged plot details that have surfaced online make for interesting reading, with the sheer number of variables meaning that the final Phillips' and Phoenix's Joker could easily surpass Heath Ledger's iconic take on the character, or be worse than Jared Leto's.