Matt Reeves' Batman not in DCEU? Solo movie might be tied to the same universe as Joaquin Phoenix's Joker
After many hits and misses, DC movies is finally channeling their resources towards creating a separate flagship for their new brand of movies. Rumored to be labeled as 'DC Dark' or 'DC Black', this latest banner would allow individual filmmakers and actors to work on superhero movies not dead within DC's existing extended universe.
The first project to be greenlit as part of this lot was none other than the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker origin movie. And if latest reports are to be believed, the Batman standalone movie - which was recently taken over by Matt Reeves - could also be finding a place in the same universe as Phoenix's Joker.
This could mean significant changes to DC's lineup, especially with the solo Batman movie not being a part of the so-called DCEU anymore. Initially 'Justice League' star Ben Affleck was supposed to be scripting as well as directing the movie, but with Reeves taking charge, it looks like this is yet another change in the series of alterations for Warner Bros' future approach.
Of course, at the moment, Reeves' Batman joining 'The Joker' movie timeline is just a rumor but considering the source, it is worth a mention. "I think Joaquin Phoenix is playing the Joker in a standalone film, that will possibly wind up not being standalone as the situation evolved with the solo Batman movies and the future of the DCEU shapes up," shared Mark Hughes, the co-host of The Superhero News Show, according to Screen Rant.
"I've heard certainly whispers from several people that I've talked to about that project. And what it sounds like is that if that project takes shape, if Martin Scorsese is going to be on board producing a film with Joaquin Phoenix playing the Joker... so now it looks like there's going to be that project and I have heard from a few people that there is talk of if [The Joker] movie is really going to go forward and if its really that good, if we're rebooting Batman anyway, he's going to need a Joker."
"We can't use preexisting Jokers. So we either have Jared Leto showing up as the Joker in some sort of sequel movie, and a Joaquin Phoenix solo Joker movie, and then we have to have another Joker. Wouldn't it make more sense to take a Martin Scorsese produced Joker with Joaquin Phoenix and wait and see if it works out, then just cross that and have that be the Joker for the new Batman?" added Hughes.
Indeed, this seems like a leap of logic but would it really hurt to have the new Batman appear alongside Phoenix's Joker? After all, Reeves' Dark Knight is supposed to be a younger iteration, unlike Affleck's much older portrayal.
