Former 'Batman' Writer Comments on Joaquin Phoenix's Joker

Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed the first look at Joaquin Phoenix in full makeup as the Joker. Now popular Batman comic book writer Scott Snyder has offered his take on Phoenix's Joker look.

Snyder wrote Batman for 52 issues from 2011-2016, during DC Comics' "New 52" era. Snyder's run with artist Greg Capullo includes stories that redefined the Joker and his relationship to Batman.

His comments on Twitter suggest that he is excited to see another bold new vision for "the Clown Prince of Crime."

"I feel like it SHOULDN'T work and yet...I'm genuinely crazy excited for it," Snyder tweeted on Friday. "It seems daring, weird and dark in a way that could be visionary.

"In the end, the worst offense w/Joker would be playing it safe, boring, so I'm all in for something like this."

Snyder's reaction is a microcosm of the mixed reactions from fans at large on the internet.

Phoenix has spoken before about taking on the role of the iconic comic book villain. But for Phoenix, this isn't a "comic book movie" role.

"I wouldn't quite classify this as like any genre," Phoenix said while speaking with Collider. "I wouldn't say it's a superhero movie, or a studio movie or a … It feels unique, and I think more than anything, and probably the most important thing, is Todd seems very passionate about it and very giving, and so that's exciting."

Still, Phoenix isn't immune to the alluring mystery that surrounds the Joker.

"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," Phoenix said. "And sometimes that is uncovered and exposed, and sometimes it isn't, and so I always felt, like, there were characters in comics that were really interesting and deserve the opportunity to be kind of studied. And so I think that's what Todd sees appealing about this idea."

Joker is directed by Todd Phillips and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. The film stars Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, the man who will become the Joker. The film also features Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and Marc Maron. The film will reveal the origin of the Joker, which has been shrouded in mystery for years in both comics and film.

Do you agree with Scott Snyder's comments about Joaquin Phoenix's Joker? Let us know how you feel in the comments!

Joker opens in theaters on Oct. 4, 2019.