Joaquin Phoenix Reveals How Joker Will React to Meeting Batman

Joker is still racking up rave reviews from a number of different outlets, and the momentum looks like it's going to keep up through October. Joaquin Phoenix sat down with Jake Hamilton to talk about a number of topics, including what it would be like if his Joker met Batman for the first time. The actor was very pensive about that question and gave his honest answer about it.

Specifically, Hamilton asked what his initial reaction to a man dressed like a bat would be. The image itself is almost as surreal as Joker dancing down the staircase in all the promotional material around the film. Phoenix took a second before offering, "I haven't thought about that. I feel under pressure, you seem excited, I see that energy and I want to reciprocate that, but I don't know what his reaction will be. I imagine that he would feel a surge of excitement."

October will bring Todd Phillips' Joker into theaters where audiences will be able to determine their reactions first hand. The movie is actually an origin story for the character and the more grounded approach to the material made Batman a bit of a stretch this time out. But, rest assured there are nods in the margins for people who are looking for a little extra in the theater.

Joker has been divisive since the moment that details around the story were revealed to the public. In spite of the controversy, the R-rated character study has received rave reviews from its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Joker eventually brought home the event's top award. That hype will probably continue until the theatrical release next month.

Joker is aiming to knock Sony's Venom out of the top spot for an opening weekend in October box office history. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that the film could be headed for a $82 million opening weekend. NRG has Joker on the high-end while other services have it hovering around $77 million. Whatever the case, those estimates are a far cry from the initial prognostications about film.

The budget for Joker wasn't even all that sizable, so that haul becomes even more impressive. Venom, for example, was produced for double the cost, and executives were overjoyed with that performance. Still, Joker's R-rating will make it tough for the film to compete with international audiences. But, that might not matter in the end if the movie makes the kind of money that experts are saying.