Now The Joker is ready for his close-up.
Director Todd Phillips posted a screen test recently of Joaquin Phoenix morphing into Batman’s nemesis in full makeup for the upcoming movie about the clown prince of crime.
At first, Phoenix appears in his pre-villain form as failed comic Arthur. Arthur then smiles and the flickering image of The Joker overtakes him to the tune of The Guess Who song “Laughing.”
Get a load of him:
Phillips teased the film earlier last week by posting a pre-makeup picture of a scowling Phoenix as “Arthur,” apparently confirming reports that the character’s real name would be Arthur Fleck.
Footage also leaked of Phoenix’s Arthur knocking the nose off a clown in an alley.
An Oct. 4, 2019, release is planned for The Joker origin film.