A standalone "Joker" origin movie is currently in the works at Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio has reportedly hired Martin Scorsese to produce while filmmaker Todd Phillips is tasked to direct and co-write the script along with screenwriter Scott Silver.
This latest iteration of the smiling Joker will not be connected to the movies in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The evil-grinned super-villain was portrayed by Jared Leto in 2016's "Suicide Squad." However, the new movie will likely have a younger Joker as it will be an origin story taking place in Gotham City in the 1980s.
This will not be the only standalone endeavor as Warner Bros. plans to create a new label for DC-oriented projects that don't need to adhere to the timeline of the DCEU. This means that character arcs and events in "Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Suicide Squad" and "Wonder Woman" will not be referenced in the separate "Joker" movie.
Phillips is best known for his work on "The Hangover" movies and most recently "War Dogs" with actors Jonah Hill and Miles Teller.
Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese is in talks to produce the upcoming "Joker." He is famous for his gritty crime films such as "Good Fellas," "Casino" and "The Departed." With Scorsese possibly producing, the standalone DC picture is expected to have the same gutsy tone and spirit his films are usually known for.
In related news, Leto and Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn in "Suicide Squad," will reprise their roles in a new DCEU project featuring the villainous couple. "This Is Us" directors and executive producers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are set to write and direct the untitled movie centering on the wicked sweethearts.
No release dates have been set for the separate "Joker" movie as well as the Joker and Harley Quinn-centric DCEU project.
