Robert De Niro in talks to star in Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker movie

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.

Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.

Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond

Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Robert De Niro has entered discussion to play a high-profile character in the upcoming Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker movie.

While the specifics of the character have not been revealed, The Hollywood Reporter describes the Taxi Driver actor's part as "instrumental" to the villain's origins.

Plot details remain thin on the ground, but rumour has it the movie will take place in the fictional Gotham City during the 80s.

The Hangover director Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver and is helming the movie, called the comic-book adaptation an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

Joker has a budget of $55 million, significantly less than Warner Bros. tent-pole comic-book movies: the lowest budget recent DC movie has been Wonder Woman, at $149 million, while the highest was Justice League at $300 million.

Production begins later this year, the tone of the movie being much more experimental and darker than recent DC movies. Joker will likely not be connected to Suicide Squad, which featured Jared Leto as the iconic character.

There are also multiple other Joker-orientated projects in development with Leto's version, including Suicide Squad 2, a solo movie, and a Harley Quinn-Joker spin-off.

The Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow production reaches cinemas 4 October 2019.