A camera test of Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker has been released – and it shows the actor in full Joker make-up.
The film, simply titled Joker, is set for release on October 4 2019. It’s directed by Todd Phillips, who’ll be joining forces with 8 Mile scribe Scott Silver for an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”
The camera test sees Phoenix’s face plastered with projections of The Joker, before he’s revealed in full make-up. You can watch it below.
Repost from #toddphillips1:
Camera test (w/ sound). Joker. pic.twitter.com/R9W2QqKwNS— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) September 21, 2018
Earlier this month, Phillips shared the first official look at Phoenix’s character, captioning it ‘Arthur’, , which seemingly confirms widespread rumours that the character’s real name is Arthur Fleck.
As well as Phoenix, the film will also star Robert DeNiro as a talk show host who plays an instrumental role in the Joker’s development. Other major players include Zazie Beetz, who stars as a single mother who becomes mysteriously involved with the Joker.
Last month, Phoenix directly responded to critics who hit out at his forthcoming portrayal of the character.
His detractors have repeatedly questioned whether he was suitable for the role, while others wondered how his role would work when a standalone Joker film with Jared Leto is also believed to be in the works.
“I don’t really think that much about what people think,” he curtly explained to IndieWire. “Who cares, who cares?”
“My approach to every movie is the same. What I’m interested in is the filmmaker and the idea of the character”, he added. “I think more than anything, and probably the most important thing, is [the director] Todd seems very passionate about it and very giving, and so that’s exciting.
“I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real-life struggles.”