A Bullied Clown Turns His Frown Upside Down to Become a Grinning Criminal Mastermind in ‘Joker’

In the upcoming psychological thriller Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, actor Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian who is driven insane by the cruelty of the world around him.

While moonlighting as a clown, Fleck decided to turn his frown upside and becomes the infamous DC Comics villain The Joker, a grinning criminal mastermind with a chilling laugh and made-up face. This is the seventh iteration of the character, but the first one to play it as a standalone role.

The film will be released in theaters on October 4, 2019.

The Joker has evolved over time. Actors who previously played the role include Cesar Romero (1960s Batman TV series), Jack Nicholson (1989 Batman), Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Jared Leto (Suicide Squad), and Cameron Monaghan (Gotham).

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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