Did Martin Scorsese actually have any role in making Joker? A new report reveals all.
When Joker was announced, much of the hype came from Martin Scorsese’s apparently close involvement with the film as a producer. However, THR’s recent report has found that he actually wasn’t involved in the film, having dropped his producer credit. But apparently, he was even at one point thinking about directing:
“A source close to Scorsese tells The Hollywood Reporter he originally eyed Joker as a potential directing vehicle before Phillips approached the studio with his own take on the nihilistic villain. Warners declined comment, while Scorsese’s rep says he ‘had no intention to direct Joker‘ and only ‘considered producing.'”
So, what happened? Why all the mystery? The report goes on to explain: “Scorsese quietly left the comic book-based film, and his producing partner, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, took over Joker producing duties and rolled over most of the crew from The Irishman to work on Joker (De Niro also straddled both films).”
SEE ALSO: Joaquin Phoenix is open to a Joker sequel
So there you have it. The legendary director did not have a hand in making Joker. There have been big comparisons made between the film and Scorcese’s early hits like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, so his influence was certainly felt on the film none the less.
Joker centres around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen. The exploration of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study but also a broader cautionary tale.
Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix (The Sisters Brothers), Robert De Niro (Goodfellas), Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2), Bill Camp (Red Sparrow), Frances Conroy (American Horror Story), Brett Cullen (Narcos), Glenn Fleshler (Billions), Douglas Hodge (Penny Dreadful), Marc Maron (GLOW), Josh Pais (Motherless Brooklyn), Shea Whigham (Kong: Skull Island), Douglas Hodge (Robin Hood) and Dante Pereira-Olson (You Were Never Really Here).
