‘Joker’: Marc Maron Praises the Film’s “Intimate and Gritty” Approach

The DC Films world is expected to get shaken up in a pretty major way this fall, when Joker arrives in theaters. The film will see Joaquin Phoenix stepping into the role of the iconic DC Comics villain, and one of the actor’s co-stars is pretty optimistic about where the film is headed.

In a recent interview with NME, Marc Maron spoke about the upcoming Warner Bros. film, in which he is rumored to be playing a producer to Robert De Niro’s talk show host character. Maron, who had previously ranted about mainstream comic book movies on his WTF with Marc Maron podcast, addressed what exactly drew him to this new project.

“I think it’s a very interesting approach to this world,” Maron explained. “I’ve been somewhat judgemental when it comes to comic book movies and I’ve got a little pushback in the press for being a hypocrite. Whatever I think, if you get a call and someone says, ‘Hey do you wanna do a scene with Robert De Niro and Joaquin Phoenix?’ your principals fall to the wayside. If it’s relative to what I think of Marvel movies then it’s like, ‘Yeah, of course I’m gonna do that’. Oddly, it’s not that kind of movie. The approach that Todd Phillips has taken is more of an origin story and a character study of a mentally ill person that becomes The Joker. It’s more of an intimate and gritty movie with a very specific scope. It’s going to be really interesting to see how it comes out.”

Maron also spoke about working alongside De Niro and Phoenix, both of whom had a completely different demeanor on set.

“It was great to meet [De Niro] and it was great to see him work,” Maron revealed. “I wasn’t really beside myself because they do become people very quickly. When you’re not shooting you are just hanging around. Still, he’s Robert De Niro and the subtleties of how he does what he does is innate and amazing to watch. He’s a nice guy and kinda shy, but it was a great experience and not too much of a mindf*ck.”

“Joaquin is another story.” Maron added. “I didn’t really get to talk to him because he was pretty immersed in The Joker. I was just like, ‘I’m not gonna bother that guy’. That was fine. You just gotta respect people’s process.”

Joker will be directed by Todd Phillips, and will also star Zazie Beetz and Frances Conroy.

Joker will land in theaters on October 10th. Other upcoming DC films include Shazam! on April 5th, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.