October 2019 boasts a slew of high-profile titles. Joker will open opposite Paramount's Gemini Man and Fox's The Woman in the Window, followed a week later by Disney's Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson and fellow Warners title The Goldfinch. And on Nov. 1, DC and Warners will unfurl Wonder Woman 1984.

Last month, Phoenix finalized his deal to star as the archnemesis of Batman. The studio describes Phillips' film as being an "exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale." Phillips and Scott Silver co-wrote the script.

Joker's budget is in the $55 million range, significantly lower than the tentpoles that dominate the form. And the movie, set to begin production later this year, is meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content (at least as experimental as a studio can be with established brands such as DC), which is described as being akin to a crime drama.

Emma Tillinger Koskoff will produce Joker, with Richard Baratta executive producing.

Phoenix is currently in theaters in Gus Van Sant's Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot.