Joker Movie Trailer Has Eerie Connection to Batman v Superman

The new Joker trailer has DC fans even more excited for Todd Phillips’ Joker origin story, which is anchored by a captivating performance from Joaquin Phoenix. Fans have been perusing the Joker trailer footage for clues and Easter egg references, and they may have spotted one image that connects Joker to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice!

As you can see below, Joker makes the same cinematic reference that Batman v Superman in its major Batman origin scene, leading DC fans to believe that the connection could be indicative of one of the more pivotal moments in Joker‘s story:

That’s right, the same movie (1981’s Excalibur) that was playing at the theater where Martha and Thomas Wayne were gunned down in Batman v Superman can be seen playing at the theater where Gotham’s citizens are erupting in clown-faced riot in Joker. In fact, if you look even closer at the scene (see image below), there’s a family coming out of the theater in the midst of this riot – a well-dressed man and woman with their young son. The scene is purposefully clipped to be a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but the family coming out of the theater looks like they could potentially be actors Brett Cullen and Dante Pereira-Olson, who are playing Thomas Wayne and young Bruce Wayne (respectively). No casting news has been shared about Martha Wayne yet, so we cant confirm if the actress seen leaving the theater is playing that character.

The first Joker teaser sprinkled breadcrumb hints of Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck / Joker interacting with both Thomas and Bruce Wayne at various points in the film. Those teases fueled fan speculation that Joker would contain a backdoor Batman origin story alongside the Joker’s, in testament to how the two future nemeses fuel each other. It would be a fitting ode to past movie versions of The Joker, as Jack Nicholson’s version of the villain in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) was infamously retconned into being the thug (Jack Napier) who gunned down the Waynes. Joker looks like it could spin that plotline into a story about how Arthur Fleck stokes the madness bubbling under Gotham’s surface to come erupting out: and how that eruption of anarchy, crime, and violence resulted in the Wayne Murders that would in turn create Gotham’s symbol of order, justice, and punishment, The Batman.

What do you think of this Joker and Batman v Superman connection? Are you ready for another Wayne murder scene?

Joker hits theaters on October 4th.