Warner Bros. never really had a concrete plan about what to do with its DC universe films. So rumor has it that the studio is considering yet another idea – a Joker origin story, and the producer would be the famous Martin Scorsese. Deadline reports that the project is in its early stages and that Todd Philips (The Hangover) will direct it based on a script by The Fighter screenwriter and director Scott Silver. The reports suggest that at Warner Bros. there will be a whole new sub-brand focused on creating original stories on different characters in the DC universe.
However, Jared Leto will not be a part of the crew in this movie, despite the fact that he recently starred as Joker in Suicide Squad directed by David Ayer. The new Joker film is supposed to happen in the early 80s, and it is said to be a “hard-boiled crime film.” It seems that Scorsese’s purpose will be to serve as a stylistic influence, so as to contrast Ayer’s hyped-up tone in the movies.
Taking into consideration all of the difficulties DC and Warner Bros. have had trying to make a consistent cinematic world, this information may be an indicator that the studio could leave behind the Marvel-esque strategy completely. Their different movies never really matched, so, for example, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel turned out too gloomy and dark, whereas Suicide Squad was achingly trying to include comedy, which can only be seen as a desperate overcorrection. The only movie to really stick out was Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman. Nonetheless, with various other sequels and two Justice League movies already in plans, Warner Bros. has to think about its current strategy.
Allegedly, the Joker movie could symbolize a pivot in the larger strategy. The studio may want to concentrate on making entertaining stories about different DC characters, not having to worry about the tonality and continuity of the narrative. However, a Joker movie produced by Scorsese would probably be the most reputable DC movie ever since The Dark Knight franchise was abandoned by Christopher Nolan.
