If Todd Phillips’ Joker had our curiosity at first, after its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival it definitely got our attention. Now, we have to wait for just a little more than a couple of weeks to discover whether we put hope in the right place or not. Speaking with The New York Times, Joker star Joaquin Phoenix revealed he had some artistic disagreements with the movie’s director.
“I think he should be kind of heavy,” Phoenix said. “Todd was like, ‘I think you should do the real thin person.’”
Eventually, Phoenix had to lose 52 pounds for the part.
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Then Joker director Todd Phillips revealed that the relationship between Joaquin Phoenix and the comic book world in which the movie is set wasn’t that easy at first.
“He never liked saying the name Thomas Wayne,” Phillips said. “It would have been easier for him if the movie was called ‘Arthur’ and had nothing to do with any of that stuff. But in the long run, I think he got it and appreciated it.”
Joaquin Phoenix went on to reveal that he was actually quite a collector of comic books as a teen. And surprisingly he preferred Marvel to DC, with Wolverine being his favorite superhero. In more recent times, he was close to play Doctor Strange in the MCU. According to reports, he eventually broke off negotiations with Marvel studios, declining to explain why. Even now, all he’ll say is, “I think they — I don’t know.”
Do you agree with Joaquin Phoenix in thinking that Joker should be heavier, or did he just not want to diet? Let us know your thoughts about it in the comments section below.
