Todd Phillips, the director of the forthcoming standalone origin film, has unveiled the first look of Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker.

The image, which has been captioned ‘Arthur’ which suggests that the character’s real name will in fact be Arthur Fleck, shows Phoenix in a green jacket and long hair. Interestingly, without the Joker’s now iconic makeup.

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.”

The Crown Prince Of Crime film has seen its cast grow repeatedly having already recruited Robert De Niro who will play the role of a talk show host who is instrumental in the Joker’s origin.

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 is plotting a second Joker movie with Jared Leto tipped to play the role.

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Zazie Beetz, best known for her role of Vanessa “Van” Keefer on television series Atlanta, is also in talks to join Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’ origin movie.

Beetz, who also played the role of Marvel Comics character Domino in Deadpool 2, could be set to co-star alongside Phoenix.

It is 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.

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