The most exciting project on Warner Bros' slate of upcoming DC films is Joker, the origin film based on Batman's arch-villain that has no connection to the DCEU. While not many details are known about the movie, filming began in New York City this week, and official images are hitting the web. Moviegoers already got their first taste of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker in some clown makeup, and now director Todd Phillips has released the first look at Zazie Beetz's character. Check out the post below of Beetz in costume as her mysterious character.
Completely separated from the continuity of the DCEU, Joker is a part of what has been dubbed the cinematic "Elseworlds" by fans. Rather than sticking with Jared Leto's controversial take on the classic villain, this movie will tell the origins of a different Joker played by Joaquin Phoenix. Plot details are slim, but it's confirmed to feature a cast that also includes Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, and Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne. In the case of Zazie Beetz, not much is known about her character outside of rumored assumptions, but thanks to Todd Phillips, we've now got an idea of what she looks like.
Likely trying to stay ahead of leaked photos from the set, director Todd Phillips unveiled Zazie Beetz in costume on his Instagram, although there's not too much to say about the picture, honestly. Perhaps expected, since the photo of Joaquin Phoenix wasn't too special either, beyond the face paint. Beetz looks to be a fairly ordinary, if slightly frazzled, woman. Rumor has it she's playing a single mother who becomes the obsession of the Joker. Things don't usually turn out well for the people that the Joker is romantically interested in, so this likely isn't going to play out well for Beetz's character, if that rumor is true.
This won't be Zazie Beetz's first time acting in a superhero movie. She just appeared in Deadpool 2 earlier this summer as Domino, a member of X-Force who possessed the power of luck. Beetz was great in the role, owning a lot of confidence and comedic skills in keeping up with Ryan Reynolds. She was also game for anything, like carrying a Deadpool torso around like a backpack. She's also proven her skills on FX's Atlanta opposite Donald Glover, should Joker pit her character in the stand-up world.
Joker is going to be an entirely different kind of superhero movie than Deadpool, of course. When the project was first announced, it was said to be a gritty New York crime thriller in the vein of a Martin Scorsese movie, which is about as far from Deadpool's zaniness as you can get. Zazie Beetz is a very skilled actor and will no doubt be a force to pay attention to as Joker draws closer to its release date.
Joker is currently scheduled to release on October 4, 2019. For more movie updates, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.
