Here’s What Joaquin Phoenix Could Look Like As The Joker

Following up on reports that Joaquin Phoenix is in talks to play The Joker, fan artist BossLogic has put together an image of what the actor could look like as the Clown Prince of Crime. It’s been about six months since it was first reported that director Todd Phillips was developing an origin movie for Batman’s archenemy. Understandably, the news came as quite a shock for the DC fanbase. The Joker is notorious for his mysterious background; he’s perhaps the biggest comic book character around that doesn’t have a canonized origin story. On top of that, DC seemingly already had an actor lined up to play the character for the foreseeable future in Jared Leto, whose debut in Suicide Squad had hit theaters less than a year before the announcement. It was a head-scratcher, to say the least.

In September, it was confirmed that Phillips’ Joker project would indeed be separate from the DCEU, and that it could start filming as early as this year. These scoops arrived a few weeks after it was reported that Leonardo DiCaprio was Warner Bros’ top choice for the role, though that always seemed like a longshot at best. The latest reports suggesting that Phoenix is a contender for the purple suit also claim that Leo has met with Phillips “about four times” in recent months, so there’s no clear frontrunner as of yet.

Joaquin Phoenix’s name being bandied about for a comic book role is nothing new, of course. The three-time Oscar nominee has been linked to the Joker’s arch-nemesis Batman on several occasions, he was considered for Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman, and he was once rumored to be in final negotiations to play Doctor Strange in the MCU before ultimately turning the part down. Phoenix’s resistance to superhero films and Hollywood blockbusters as a whole has become well-known, but if he were ever going to sign on for a comic book role, a (presumably) one-off appearance as the Joker would make a lot of sense. In that regard, popular digital artist BossLogic has delivered his take on what Phoenix might look like as the craziest clown in comics.

BossLogic’s done some fine work here all-around, imagining a Joaquin Phoenix Joker that sports several gnarly battle scars and some seriously intimidating eyes. The Clown Prince of Crime’s hair is reminiscent of the look Heath Ledger rocked in The Dark Knight, albeit with a hairline that’s more in line with the villain’s classic widow’s peak. The smoking gun is a particularly nice touch.

Would you be onboard for a Joaquin Phoenix Joker film if the character looked like this? How does the design compare to that of Jared Leto in your opinion? Let us know in the comments.