Why So Serious? New 'Joker' Image Shows A Morose Joaquin Phoenix Watching TV

A new Joker image is here, showing Joaquin Phoenix looking very, very serious. Lighten up, sir! The movie is called Joker! The black and white pic comes courtesy of director Todd Phillips, who has confirmed he's now editing the standalone Batman spin-off. See the Joker image below, and don't worry about spoilers. The only thing this pic reveals is that the Joker uses a VCR at one point.

This looks less like a pic from Joker, and more like an image of Joaquin Phoenix looking pretty cool. But I know we're all starved for some sort of news regarding this strange project. Phillips' Joker movie stands alone from the rest of the DC films, and will likely be playing fast and loose with any sort of continuity involving the character from the comics. The movie "centers around the iconic arch-nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen. The exploration of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale."

I am incredibly curious about this whole thing. When the concept was first announced, I rolled my eyes – as I am wont to do. "A Joker movie? Who needs it?!" I thought. But the cast Phillips has assembled here – Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, Shea Whigham, and more – caught my attention. As did several set photos of Phoenix in costume, wearing make-up that looks almost nothing like any previous incarnation of the character. This might just turn out to be something special. A the very least, it'll be unique. Joker opens October 4, 2019. Check out a bigger version of the image below, and feel free to zoom in and obsess over tiny details.