After months of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that Joaquin Phoenix will play the ‘Clown Prince of Crime’ in Todd Phillips’ Joker origin movie.

The film has been co-written by Phillips and Scott Silver, the man previously behind 8 Mile. Warner Bros. confirmed the news that Phoenix has signed on to the role and described the film as “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale.”

Phoenix will become the fifth actor to portray the villain in live action with a new character and design set to follow. On top of that, there’s some speculation that Warner are plotting a second Joker movie with Jared Leto tipped to play the role.

While Warner chose not to announce the release date, its’ believed the budget for the film is in excess of $55million which is a somewhat modest figure in comparison to other productions of the same ilk.

Filming in New York is set to start in September.