Rumors of a Joker stand alone origin movie have me scratching my head. First of all, The Joker - like Wolverine and The Phantom Stranger - is one of the few comics characters that works better for me without a clear back story. The air of mystery helps him to be more menacing. I don't really want to understand his psyche, either - He's a mass murdering psychotic that I want to laugh at or be afraid of - not sympathize with. Finally, while I wasn't crazy about Jared Leto's take, I don't know if audiences are ready for the role to be re-cast once again so quickly. We'll see if this project ever comes to pass or if it is morphed into a Joker/Harley Quinn film, an idea that has also been floated aound.
I believe the announcement of a Joker stand-alone "origin" film came after the announcement of a Dr. Doom film from FOX. (My gut tells me that FOX is doing whatever they can to maintain the film rights to the Fantastic Four; by announcing a Franklin and Valeria film and a Doom film.) My gut also tells me that immediately after a Marvel announcement there will usually be a DC announcement. This has been going on for some time now.
ReplyDeleteIs my memory correct? That Joker image is from Batman vs. Hulk?
ReplyDeleteMarshall Rogers Detective #475 The Laughing fish
ReplyDelete"The Laughing Fish" is possibly the greatest Joker story. (And isn't it amazing how they used to be able to tell fantastic stories in a single issue? Now they need six.)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree the Joker works better without an origin, as does Wolverine. I also don't care about James Bond's childhood. There's always been a certain power to characters who arrive fully-formed with a past we can only guess at; filling in the blanks is almost always a bad idea. Does anyone really think Darth Vader is even a fraction as cool after the prequels as he was when we first met him in '77? Does anyone really think the "young Han Solo" films will do anything but dilute the character?
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I'm tired of origin stories, period. With very few exceptions, no superhero's origin has been their best story, anyway.
The Joker's Origin is best when it is multiple choice which I think DC realizes. I have no interest in a Joker movie with or without HQ. And yes I also did not like Jared Leto's take so actually a HQ w/o the Joker has even more appeal.
ReplyDeleteOrigin stories have their place. Imagine Batman with out Thomas and Martha Wayne shot in Crime Alley, Superman without Krypton exploding, or Peter Parker without that spider bite. Sometimes origin stories really flesh out a character.
ReplyDelete1) I agree with you and Dave Morefield about the Joker's background. Let his pre-Red Hood days permanently remain a complete mystery.
ReplyDelete2) I also agree about the inadvisability about ret-conning the Joker again, so soon.
3) In preference to both, I'd rather see a Moon Knight feature film! Maybe played by Matt Damon, so there could be a mistaken identity slug-fest with Ben Affleck's version of Daredevil!
Joker always worked best as a foil to Batman. A standalone Joker movie doesn't seem that great idea for me.
ReplyDeleteAlso Peter Parker with a still-living Uncle Ben.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous: I second that motion!
ReplyDeletePeter doesn't get enough rice in his diet.
ITEM: Dr. OTR - While you are absolutely correct that fantastic stories were so often one-and-done, the Joker Fish story was a two parter; Detective 475 and 476.
ReplyDeleteITEM: Jared Leto's Joker was terrible. I compare it to Two-Face in Batman Forever; it's a character with the name and the look, and never mind what's been previously established for character. Denny O'Neil got the character right; Steve Englehart got the character right. And everybody else wants to do THEIR Joker, not the established one. Well, another DC reboot ought to fix it...
ITEM: Ross, perhaps a little credit love for Terry Austin would also be suitable? His inking was superb on... well, on anything!
"First of all, The Joker - like Wolverine and The Phantom Stranger - is one of the few comics characters that works better for me without a clear back story."
ReplyDeleteSounds like a theme for a cover.
What Marlow said.
ReplyDeleteELS said...
ReplyDelete"Denny O'Neil got the character right; Steve Englehart got the character right. And everybody else wants to do THEIR Joker, not the established one. Well, another DC reboot ought to fix it..."
At the current stage, according to the Mobeius Chair (when Batman was, briefly, its rider), the main DCU actually has three versions of the Joker active simultaneously!
Right now, the Mobius Chair is in the custody of Metron on CW Earth-1 (according to the current season of THE FLASH).
ReplyDelete@Anonymous- Where did you get that info?New Gods on the CW ? Noooooooo!
ReplyDeleteJust check any On-Demand rerun of the first three episodes of this season.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carycomic. If that ain't Mobius, I'll eat Zatanna's top hat.
ReplyDelete@my namesake: Mobius is the name of the dimension-hopping chair. Metron is the name of its owner.
ReplyDeleteYou give Anonymice everywhere a bad name. Sheesh!
Having just seen the Flash episode introducing Hazard (and the actress playing her definitely looks hot in fishnets!), I would have to change my mind and say that the new Big Bad for this season is either the Thinker...or the Turtle.
ReplyDeleteAs of the episode wherein Ralph Dibney debuted as the Elongated Man (in fact, if not in name), it's official. The arch-enemy for this season is The Thinker (nee Cliff Devoe).
ReplyDeleteMajor shout out to Super Team family. They’re killing it with these covers. Absolutely amazing 🤩
ReplyDelete