‘Joker’: Former DC Entertainment President Praises “Great Story” and “Strong Vision”

Former DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson has high praise for the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker [...]

Former DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson has high praise for the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker and director Todd Phillips.

"LOVE IT! Great story, great actor, specific and string [sic] vision from talented director," Nelson wrote on Twitter Friday in response to Warner Bros. sharing an official camera test revealing Phoenix in full clown makeup.

"What DC should have been doing since [Dark Knight trilogy director Christopher] Nolan. Even if die hard fans struggle with his vision."

Nelson ended the tweet with the hashtag "good movies are good movies."

When one commentator mistook the tweet as a shot at Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League director Zack Snyder, quoting Nelson's tweet and commenting "snakes in the grass," Nelson said the tweet was not about the controversial director, who largely stepped away from the DC Films universe following a family tragedy.

"I happen to count Zack Snyder among those things, if you are insinuating otherwise," Nelson wrote in response. "No snake here..."

Nelson exited Warner Bros. in June after a 22-year run at the company.

Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara said Nelson's "leadership and contributions have helped shape the way the studio operates today, and we're better for having had her on our team."

Nelson called the last nine years of her time with the studio, and more specifically "rebuilding and managing DC Entertainment," as "a particular highlight and privilege."

DC Films next releases the James Wan-directed Aquaman in December and lighter-fare Shazam! in April, ahead of Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman sequel in November 2019. Joker marks the first modern DC Comics adaptation outside of the connected universe of films, already home to Ben Affleck's caped crusader and Jared Leto's clown prince of crime.

A characteristically picky Phoenix previously praised Phillips, saying the Hangover and War Dogs filmmaker is "very impressive and he seems to have a very interesting understanding of this world and what he's trying to say."

Joker is now in front of cameras for an October 4, 2019 release.

2comments