“The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.”, says Harvey Dent in the iconic ‘The Dark Knight’ by Christopher Nolan. And it finally feels, the dawn is indeed here for the DC Universe. Todd Phillips’s upcoming ‘Joker’ will be competing for the main prize at all major film festivals this year, including Venice.
The film festival’s artistic director Alberto Barbera, has claimed the comic book film has all the potential to go straight to the Oscars, quoting “It’s the most surprising film we’ve got this year…This one’s going straight to the Oscars even though it’s gritty, dark, violent. It has amazing ambition and scope”.
Joker (2019) in one of the 70 most anticipated films of 2019
His comments were echoed by TIFF director Cameron Bailey, “It’s an original story, not part of the existing canon,” he said. “It does take the character and a lot of the elements that we know from Joker’s backstory.
But it’s an original story that allows the filmmakers to go in an original direction. It’s got some real dark tones to it, but it’s just grounded in this career-best performance by Joaquin Phoenix. I think all the awards bodies will be taking notice”. Joaquin Phoenix just can’t stop delivering, can he?
During Nolan’s era defining trilogy, DC were soaring high in Hollywood, with unmatched production value and cumulative artistry. However, the subsequent decision to commercialize their projects to match the MCU, backfired and left them in a rather uncomfortable position. With Endgame breaking all records, Warner Bros. can only hope that their latest change in approach, can revitalize the DC Universe.
Joker (2019) Trailer and Images from TIFF
The trailer managed to rouse enthusiasm in both genre fans and art-house crowds, and showed glimpses of a chameleon-esque performance from the enigmatic Phoenix. With this film, DC seems to be carving a niche, something it’s always been renowned for, and with all the hype surrounding it, the film could propel the character’s legend and the standards for the superhero genre. The film is supposed to hit the big screen worldwide in October, and news like these don’t help the long wait!