Todd McFarlane Shares Spawn Parody Poster in Honor of Joker Oscar Nominations

Thanks in part to the recent commercial success of Todd Phillips’ Joker, legendary comics writer and toymaker Todd McFarlane is all-in on his Spawn reboot. In fact, McFarlane has even concocted a makeshift Spawn teaser poster using the now-iconic Joker shot of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) dancing on the stairs. McFarlane took to Instagram to share the poster, making sure to point out the similarities between the DC Comics film and the reboot he’s tried getting off the ground for several years.

“My toys cam [sic] make for cool movie poster,” McFarlane posted. “Can #spawnmovie win Oscar tonight? Even though it hasn’t been filmed?!?! TODD”

As it’s been said time and time again, McFarlane’s latest live-action take on the character he created for Image Comics is very much an R-rated property, something the writer thinks will be beneficial to its success now.

We spoke with McFarlane at New York Comic Con this past fall and there, he was candid on the production process. While he hasn’t secured funding yet, he thinks it’s on the horizon thanks to the rise (and success) of comic book movies geared towards adults.

“And, again, there’ve been R-rated superhero movies with Logan and Deadpool, but I’m talking in which the content is serious, right?” McFarlane told us at the time. “That somebody took it and had this serious tale. And if that works, then they’re going to do their checkbox and they’re going to go, ‘Hey, you know what we need more of? What just worked? Oh yeah, R-rated, check. Comic book material, check and dark, check.’ And that’s Spawn check, check, check. So I’ve been trying to say this to them. I think this type of material will work, but they just need sometimes the proof in the pudding to go, ‘Oh! That’s what you’ve been telling us. You’re saying the audience can get a wider diet than just PG 13. Yes, yes. On a serious level, on a serious level, not Deadpool level.’”

He added, “So if it works, I’m hoping that I can be the next guy in the door going, ‘Hey, you don’t have to call through your, unless you’re Warner Brothers and Disney, you don’t have to start calling through who can I go get that’s R-rated.”

McFarlane’s Spawn reboot has yet to be picked up.

Where do you think the movie could land? Is it better suited on Netflix compared to a theatrical release? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!