Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix Are Returning For a Joker Sequel

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix are set to reunite for a follow-up to Joker.

The news comes just days after the film broke $1 billion in the box office, and a week after Todd Phillips floated the idea of a potential sequel to the LA Times. Joker is the fourth DC film to surpass a billion (following The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Aquaman), and is still pulling in massive crowds. The relatively modest budget of Joker is sure to shoot up accordingly for any follow-up.

Sources tell THR that Phillips talked to Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman Toby Emmerich on 7 October about developing a range of DC characters’ origin stories. He was knocked back, but managed to secure the rights to at least one other DC story.

Phillips will once again write the script alongside Scott Silver, and Joaquin Phoenix, who earned widespread acclaim for his take on the Clown Prince, is set to return to the make-up chair. Warner has sequel options in place for him, and the actor has been open in his enthusiasm for the role.

A Batman origin story would make the most sense, but that’s already being overseen by writer-director Matt Reeves. Also, the Bruce Wayne presented in Joker is also arguably too young to ever reasonably face up against Phoenix’s take on the character. Wonder Woman is off the table too, as her origins were explored in 2017’s box office hit of the same name, directed by Patty Jenkins.

Instead, The Hollywood Reporter suggests that Phillips could oversee the origin of another DC villain, including Lex Luther or Darkseid. The Penguin and The Riddler are reportedly going to feature in Reeves' Robert Pattinson-fronted Batman film, so are very unlikely to have a role in Phillips' sequel.

Keep this page bookmarked for updates on the film.

This story originally appeared on Esquire.co.uk.

* Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.