Batman 2018 Movie: 6 Influential Storylines We Want To See
2. Killing Joke
The Joker had been a big part of Batmans life for nearly 50 years before comic auteur Alan Moores The Killing Joke hit the shelf. Such is the strength of Moores work though, that The Killing Joke has since become the definitive Joker tale, offering both an origin story for the clown prince of crime and a compelling battle of wits between him and Batman. The Joker was more malicious than hed been allowed to be for a long time and his plan had ramifications that were felt within the pages of Batman comics for years to come. In short, its a modern(ish) masterpiece.
The Joker is revealed to have been a failed comedian whod had one bad day too many, testing his theory that anyone can snap after one bad day on Jim Gordon. Gordon is captured in an abandoned theme park, stripped naked and placed in a cage whilst Joker shoots and paralyses his daughter Barbara. Even after hes forced to see Barbara naked and bleeding Jim doesnt break, instead insisting that Batman captures Joker fairly.
The Killing Joke would be a fascinating tale to see once Batfleck's Gotham and Leto's Joker have been established. We already know that there'll be beef between the two hinted at in BvS and explored in Suicide Squad, so setting up The Killing Joke for a second, third or fourth solo film would seem the obvious thing to do. By that point we'll know how these versions of the characters interact, what makes them tick and how their pasts inform their actions and The Killing Joke could have the same impact onscreen as it did on the page 17 years ago.