BEHIND THE SMILE: If Heath Ledger portrayed the Joker as a psychotic villain, Joaquin Phoenix is making him more human

Teasing what lies in store for die-hard fans of this comic book character, 'The Hangover' director recently released a first look image of the Joaquin Phoenix-played Joker

So far, DC fans have been treated to multiple, contrasting versions of the comic book supervillain, Joker. From a psychotic, mad clown (portrayed by Heath Ledger) to chaotic Batman nemesis (Jared Leto), almost every aspect of the supervillain spectrum has been touched upon, except for the humanized and more subtle iteration of the Joker. 

What was the DC villain like before he went completely rogue? Was he ever a regular man with redeemable qualities? Perhaps, this is the angle that Todd Phillips-directed upcoming Joker origin movie is aiming to explore. Teasing what lies in store for die-hard fans of this comic book character, 'The Hangover' director recently released a first-look image of the Joaquin Phoenix-played Joker - which, to say the least, is a more subdued version of all the Jokers we have seen before. 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

A surprising number of unexpected crossovers that not many are aware of, 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Star Wars' share plenty of common stars.
11 hours ago
Fans can watch critically acclaimed thriller 'Sicario' on a new platform, but the story remains incomplete, with no update on the third installment.
12 hours ago
'The Madison' Season 2 was filmed in parts of Montana and Texas from September to December of last year, with talks about Season 3 in place now.
15 hours ago
The director explains how the shocking death in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' drives the plot forward.
21 hours ago
Adrian Grenier, who played everyone's least favorite boyfriend in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' now lives in Texas
23 hours ago
Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim will also star in the live-action adaptation of 'Tangled'
1 day ago
After an injury on set forced Netflix to delay its take on 'Narnia,' the streamer moved it to February 2027 for a wide theatrical release window.
2 days ago
David Holmes and associates are developing a play about his life before and after the accident on the 'Harry Potter' sets.
2 days ago
‘Lanterns,’ featuring at least three iterations of the titular hero, will arrive on HBO later in 2026.
2 days ago
‘The Devil Wears Prada’ 2 brings back familiar faces and stunning real-world locations, turning New York and Milan into the film’s most stylish backdrops.
2 days ago