By Oscar Dow

That line from The Dark Knight could apply to actor Joaquin Phoenix, who has been acting since he was a wee lad, and who was recently announced to play the titular character in the upcoming film Joker directed by Todd Philips. Phillips took to Instagram overnight, revealing an image of Phoenix with the caption ‘Arthur.’

Joker has been pitched as an origin story, following the decline of failing comedian Arthur Fleck as he descends into a world of crime and insanity. The casting of Phoenix as Fleck has been viewed as controversial by many, especially following Jared Leto’s performance in 2016’s Suicide Squad, which resulted in mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. That film, however, was a resounding box office smash.

While many actors have taken to the iconic Joker role, interpretations have differed drastically, and fans are unsure what sort of Joker they will be seeing when the film opens in late 2019.

Director Todd Phillips’ past work – including The Hangover Trilogy and most recently, War Dogs, which may be more in line with Joker’s tone – hint at a more comedic take, while his self-professed inspirations in classic Scorsese movies Taxi Driver and King of Comedy suggest that the upcoming movie could be more of a character study. As the film has been pitched as an origin story it is possible that Phillips will follow in the footsteps of his inspirations and chronicle the descent of a normal citizen into a life of crime and insanity. To further add fuel to this theory, actor and long-time Scorsese contributor Robert De Niro has reportedly been cast in an unknown role.

Joaquin Phoenix’s past roles do suggest an ability to slip neatly into the shoes of bizarre and occasionally insane characters. Ridley Scott’s Gladiator saw Phoenix as the ruthless and power-hungry Commodus while Spike Jonze’s Her further allowed the actor to explore a more unconventional and reserved role. More recently, Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here showcased Phoenix facing a wide range of mental health issues, even drawing obvious parallels with Taxi Driver. Next up, you will see him on screen as cartoonist/quadriplegic John Callahan in Gus Van Sant’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot.

Without doubt, Phoenix’s versatility on screen is a trait that could pair well with the unpredictable nature of the Joker, and we may have another DC film to rival the complexity of Nolan’s trilogy for the ages.

Joker is in cinemas on October 4, 2019.