Ranking 2019 superhero movies by interest
By Mike McNulty
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 28: Actor Joaquin Phoenix, who won the award for Best Actor for his part in the movie ‘You Were Never Really Here’, attends the Palme D’Or winner photocall during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 28, 2017 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
9. Joker (October 2019)
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All right, perhaps this is just the comic book purist in me talking but…who was asking for this movie? I get that the Joker, as Batman’s number one archenemy, is enormously popular. I also get that the Joker is both crazy and clever with a dark sense of humor, which, like all the great villains, makes him compelling even if we’re rooting against him. But there’s one other aspect the Joker has that gives him a leg up on other Batman rogues: he’s a mystery.
Remember how electric Jack Nicholson’s Joker was in Batman (1989) until you found out he was also the murderer of Bruce Wayne’s parents? Remember also how fantastic Heath Ledger’s Joker was in The Dark Knight, how we completely understood what kind of monster he was, what his motives were, and how scary he was on-screen despite having no backstory whatsoever? Guess which one fans consider the better Joker? So then why have an entire movie dedicated to the Joker’s origin, thus potentially ruin what made him interesting in the first place?
True, Joker is intended as an “Elseworlds” type film completely disassociated with the DC Extended Universe. It’s also very clear, based on the now released production photos and screen tests of Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character, that the film is taking cues more from Heath Ledger’s take than Jared Leto’s in Suicide Squad. But make no mistake, this isn’t a prequel to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy either. If it’s not really connected to anything, and probably won’t tie into any future Batman film, then what’s the point?
I don’t mind if comic book movies break away from the source material. Moreover, the casting of this movie, particularly Robert DeNiro, looks pretty good so far. Nevertheless, I think Warner Brothers are overestimating and misunderstanding the Joker’s appeal to comic book fans. Until we learn more about the film, my interest is pretty low for this one.