Joker was a massive Warner Bros. success, since opening day at the box office sequel talk has emerged from just about everybody. With thousands of ideas for the sequel, I look into the possibility of resurrecting an old Warner Bros. Pitch and what makes it a perfect sequel to the landmark DC Film directed by Todd Phillips and Starring Joaquin Phoenix.
October 2019, after years of speculation, planning, and work Todd Phillip's Joker was released. Playing to an overwhelming audience reaction, with numerous awards, including Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion and two Academy Award wins (Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Joker, and Hildur Guðnadóttir for Best Original Score.) The film is the first, and currently only, R-Rated film to gross over a Billion Dollars World Wide. Filmed on a budget roughly around 50 Million Dollars, the massive hit Joker became was unexpected and uncalculated.
It was Todd Phillips' intention to create a character study, dissecting what could drive someone to become a monster. He did it by taking a character that stands as a relatively blank slate and build a whole world around that story. It was a gamble on Phillips part that paid off in spades. November 1st it was reported by L.A. Times (A 'Joker' sequel? Joaquin Phoenix on the potential for more - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com): “Long before the release or before we had any idea if it would be successful, we talked about sequels,” Phoenix said. “In the second or third week of shooting, I was like, ‘Todd, can you start working on a sequel? There’s way too much to explore.’ It was kind of in jest — but not really.”
One of the notable elements of the Joker film was the depiction of the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Showing them murdered by a "Villain" in a Clown Mask, leaving young Bruce alone in the world. Todd Phillips has spoken out on seeing another Director give their take on the Batman set up by Phillips' world. As reported in IndieWire (Todd Phillips Wants Batman Movie Set in the ‘Joker’ Universe | IndieWire): “It’s a beautiful Gotham. What I would like to see someone tackle is what Batman looks like from that Gotham,” Phillips said.
With numerous avenues available, it seems as if the sky is the limit for a potential Joker-verse. There are ideas that are likely in the works but the most intriguing idea could be a former project that languished in development hell. In the year 2000, following several failed attempts to produce a sequel to the underperforming and critically panned Batman & Robin, Warner Bros. hired director Darren Aronofsky, fresh from the release Pi and having finished work on his second film: Requiem for a Dream. Aronofsky's initial pitch for Batman was to "Hire Clint Eastwood as Batman and film in Tokyo, doubling for Gotham." suggesting an adaptation of Batman The Dark Knight Returns, in effort to get the Studio's interest leading to a later refined into an adaptation of Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli's Batman Year One.
The adaptation became something of film legend, as it languished in developmental hell it gained an odd following. It's a film that was extremely different from the typical Batman universe. As art and Scripts leaked, it suggested that fan would finally get a comic book accurate Batsuit, while sacrificing some of the typical aspects of the canon (i.e. Alfred had evolved from the former MI6 Agent-Turned-Butler to a Black Med-School Trained Mechanic). From leaked art and leaked Scripts we got the initial image of what Aronofsky was going for and simply put... It's actually great.
Batman Year One was supposed to be a dark, low budget, gritty and realistic portrayal of Batman. Bruce Wayne was a twenty-something kid who suffered PTSD and a field of other psychological problems. It addresses Batman in the most unique manner, a manner in which neither Nolan nor Snyder have fully addressed - that he is as broken as the world he lives in. It is a unique take on the material and with very sparse details about the shooting of Thomas and Martha Wayne the movie is actually the perfect Sequel for Joker.
Joker was already the basic idea Aronofsky was seeking, as he sought to develop a low-budget, R-Rated film. With Phillips speaking of his own desire to see another filmmaker adapt the universe's Batman, and Aronofsky's unique and idyllic concept there's really a perfect match here. Joker has built a dark and eerie world. It has set up the most unique and different origin for Bruce Wayne, perfect for Aronofksy's vision for Batman. As Aronofsky's Batman was an unguided soul who looked for guidance and meaning after his parent's death.
In the field of various pitches and sequel ideas for Todd Phillips' landmark film the most creative sequel, or spin off, idea is already in the Warner Bros. vault. A script written to be gritty, low budget, and R-Rated story that was ultimately 15 years too early. With minor alterations made to set it in the 1990's to follow on Phillips' 1980's setting, Darren Aronofsky's Batman Year One would be the perfect continuation of the DC Black Label, and the perfect sequel to Joker.
For those interested, the Synopsis of Aronofsky's Batman Year One is:
Missing Billionaire Bruce Wayne is living in his home city of Gotham under the care of a mechanic 'Little Al'. As Bruce continues to search for his purpose and avoid his birthright, he finds it in a cultural call to arms by the suicidal Lt. James Gordon, who battles the corruption of the Gotham Police Department, acting as its own Organized Crime Ring. Meanwhile Bruce also begins the investigation of the death of a corrupt police detective from a woman Bruce has become infatuated with, as she begins a crime spree - breaking from her role in the world of prostitution to make her own life. Through a series of beatings Bruce gains the iconic name of "The Bat-Man", after the marks left on criminals he beats resembles the classic Bat Symbol.
I have my own pitch for a "Joker 2" that I'll be posting on here. As it stands, the year one adaptation seems like it would be a perfect sequel to expand the Gotham City Todd Phillips created. From it's tone and sensibilities it stands out as a wonderful take on Batman Perfect for the DC Black Label. I can't wait to see what possible stories rise for a Joker 2, if it ever gets made.
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