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In many ways, the movie is both heartbreaking and devastating. But when you exit, you’re immediately left thinking: where does Joker go now? I’m intrigued by the idea of a sequel, yet there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to know what comes next.

I’m with you there, but I’d never say 100% no to doing a sequel. We like the idea that this just stands on its own just like films like Network, King of Comedy and Taxi Driver — they don’t have sequels to movies like that. We like the idea that this is more like those. Of course if the movie is huge and Joaquin and I are sitting around one day and we come up with an idea that could be fun, maybe we’ll do it. But we haven’t talked about it.

Among all comic book villains Joker is one of the most feared and revered. Why does he endure?

I think it’s because he represents this anarchic spirit that’s in everybody, but we don’t act on it because we’re normal. There’s something about him not caring at all. One of the things I loved about (Heath Ledger’s Joker), I loved his attitude: he just wants to watch the world burn. Personally, I don’t want to watch the world burn, but I like that character’s attitude. He wasn’t after money, he wasn’t after women, he just wanted to f— s— up. He wanted chaos and there’s something about Joker being this agent of chaos that I think is exciting to watch.

You cut your teeth making these big comedies and now you’ve moved into more serious filmmaking. Why did you make that switch?

The truth of the matter is that the world is changing. I love comedies, I’ll still see comedies but comedies are truth and truth has become offensive in this day and age. Everything offends everybody. If we put out Old School tomorrow, there are 10 things that would offend people in it. The world’s changed, so it’s hard to be funny.

Go watch Dave Chappelle’s new special Sticks & Stones. It’s f—ing brilliant and people are attacking him. He’s a comedian. Comedy is truth, truth is offensive. So some of (that transition) was inspired by a changing world. There have been articles in the movie business over the last year, ‘Comedy is dead.’ But a lot of the people who do it well don’t want to do it anymore. They do it, then people complain and it becomes too hard.

Joker opens Friday.