Leaked Joker Script Is Outdated, Director Says Fans Will Be Surprised

There are a lot of questions surrounding DC’s first Batman spinoff movie, focusing on the origin of his greatest foe in Joker. The movie will feature Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, who becomes the Clown Prince of Crime after a series of Bad Days™ that seem to be taking convenient inspiration from The Killing Joke. But this will be unlike any other superhero movie in the genre, as it seems to be more a character study about a man abused by various social systems rather than a man who falls into a vat of chemicals and becomes a psychotic crime lord.

But some savvy fans have already had the opportunity to read the script for the movie, which leaked online last year. And while they might have a leg up on everyone else is curious about the plot of Joker, director Todd Phillips made it clear that the leaked script has been through numerous changes — and that even the fans who read it will be surprised by the movie.

“They’re in for a big surprise when they see the movie,” Phillips explained in an interview with the Associated Press.

Phillips explained that Joker is far from a comic book movie, reinforcing the idea that everyone involved with the production is hope to make something knew that could expand beyond what everyone thinks the genre should be.

“What we’re trying to do with this film is do something entirely different from the comic book movies that have come before. And not because those aren’t cool but just because we want to try something different,” Phillips said. “But this won’t be the last Joker movie ever made. Something tells me that in 10 years someone else is going to do something. There have been five iterations of this character already and they’re all brilliantly unique. This is one more group’s interpretation of a character that can be infinitely interpreted.”

There are questions of whether or not this movie could have spawned a sequel, or whether or not Phoenix could go on to star alongside Robert Pattinson in a future Batman movie. At this point, both options seem possible. But the results won’t come clear until Joker premieres in theaters and the general audience responds with their critiques and box office dollars.

Joker premieres in theaters on October 4th.