Joker's Cult Status: Todd Phillips' Origin Story Revolutionizes Superhero Cinema

Todd Phillips' 'Joker' premiered at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, winning the Golden Lion and sparking a revolution in superhero storytelling. The film explores the origins of Batman's iconic villain, a narrative previously untouched. Phillips co-wrote the script with Silver Scott, setting the story in a decaying Gotham City circa the 1970s-80s, drawing from classic character studies. Joaquin Phoenix, cast as Joker, prepared by meeting individuals with pseudobulbar affect to authentically portray involuntary laughter and crying. He also lost 23.6 kg under the guidance of the same nutritionist who assisted him for 'The Master' (2012). Phoenix drew inspiration from Buster Keaton's facial expressions and the silent film 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) starring Conrad Veidt. The makeup echoed that of serial killer John Wayne Gacy. The film pays homage to Jack Nicholson's Joker in Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989), itself inspired by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 'Batman: The Killing Joke' (1988). A notable location is the staircase at 1165 Shakespeare Avenue in the Bronx, which became a tourist attraction. Phoenix stated he was not influenced by previous Joker portrayals by Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson, Cesar Romero, or Jared Leto. The sequel 'Joker: Folie à Deux' is scheduled for release on October 4, 2024, featuring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.