Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Real Name And Other Details Revealed

The Joker‘s appearances in previous DC Comics films are often obscured with mystery, allowing viewers to create their own backstory for the character instead of having it explicitly laid out. In the Joaquin Phoenix-starring Joker, a major goal is to depict the villain’s transformation into a horrifying villain, with one report claiming that his real name in the film will be Arthur Fleck.

That Hashtag Show reported on the name of the character, which ignores connections to established pseudonyms for the villain. The site theorizes that the character will return to a crumbling Gotham to live with his aging mother. The big question of the film being how one seemingly normal man could become such a ruthless villain, with some theories suggesting this film could tie Joker’s parentage to the Wayne family in some capacity, possibly establishing the connection between Batman and the Joker and why they have such a deep, albeit twisted, connection.

After months of dodging questions about his involvement in the film, Phoenix finally confirmed he had signed on to the project while detailing what drew him to the story in the first place.

“I wouldn’t quite classify this as like any genre,” Phoenix shared with press. “I wouldn’t say it’s a superhero movie, or a studio movie or a … It feels unique, and I think more then anything, and probably the most important thing, is Todd seems very passionate about it and very giving, and so that’s exciting. I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real life struggles.”

Earlier this week, reports emerged that Deadpool 2 and Atlanta star Zazie Beetz would be joining the film, with some rumors claiming she’ll play a single mother who has a run-in with Fleck and potentially humanizes him, showing the character the struggles that she faces to earn a living and support her family.

Another surprising potential player in the film is Robert De Niro, who is rumored to be circling the project. It’s unknown what role he would play, but with Martin Scorsese serving as a producer on the film, it’s likely the filmmaker helped promote the project to his former collaborator.

Joker will be landing in theaters on October 4, 2019.

What do you think about this potential identity of the Joker? Do you wish the filmmakers stuck more closely with the comics? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T That Hashtag Show]