Joaquin Phoenix has revealed that he had previously considered the idea for a new, low budget film about The Joker years ago.

Far Out Magazine reported the news that Phoenix had finally been confirmed to 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.”

Now, Phoenix has revealed that he contacted his agent with the idea years ago: “Three or four years ago, I called my agent and said ‘Why don’t they want to take one of these characters and just make a lower budget film about it, a movie but a character study, and why not take one of the villains?’ And I thought, ‘You can’t do the Joker, because, you know, it’s just you can’t do that character, it’s just been done,’” he told Collider