As we opined previously, the very idea of a Joker origins movie is a bad one and just further proves that Warner Bros doesn't know what to do with the DCEU.
Despite all this, it's now been reported by Variety that the first draft of the screenplay for it is due this week and could very likely enter production in 2018 - once, of course, the casting of Joker has taken place. As we previously reported, it's understood that Jared Leto will not be returning as The Joker for this particular movie, as Warner Bros is considering setting up a completely separate imprint outside of the DCEU that began with Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel.
Hear THE JOKER script will be turned in by next week, super fast considering when announcement went out bodes well for 2018 shoot
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) September 20, 2017
Warner Bros. is rumoured to have their eyes set on Leonardo DiCaprio, even going so far as to recruit Martin Scorsese as a producer to help convince him to sign on for the role. However, it's early days yet and there's no word on whether or not DiCaprio has even been officially offered the role.
So, thoughts? The fact that a screenplay has been churned out that quickly doesn't particularly sound all that enticing. Not only that, there really doesn't seem to be a lot of goodwill out there for an origin story about The Joker - so you have to ask yourself why Warner Bros. is pushing this when nobody really seems to want it?
Via Twitter / Variety