Joker Wraps Filming
It's not over until the Clown Prince of Crime cackles — and he just did.
Director Todd Phillips announced on Monday, December 17 that filming on his upcoming Joker movie, starring Joaquin Phoenix as failed comedian Arthur Fleck, the man who takes on the Joker mantle, has officially wrapped. The filmmaker took to his Instagram page to post a black-and-white photo commemorating the bittersweet occasion.
"That's a wrap on production. Thanks to the greatest crew NYC has to offer," Phillips captioned the snap, which shows him leaning against a tiled wall that appears to read "no unsupervised patients allowed." (Could this be a hint at where Phoenix's Arthur ends up in the final act of the film? Color us intrigued.)
Phillips added that Joker "was a fun shoot," but the creative crew isn't close to having the finished product in their hands. "We're not there yet. #editingroom," he wrote.
Thankfully for the Joker team, who shot the dark origin story entirely in New York City, the film is 10 months away from its October 2019 release date. That leaves ample time for Phillips, editor Jeff Groth, cinematographer Lawrence Sher — along with the talents in the special effects and visual effects departments and Joker's score composer Hildur Guðnadóttir — to piece together the pic and lock in the cut that will make it to theaters.
Going off the buzz words and phrases studios Warner Bros. and DC Films have thrown out when describing Joker — like "gritty character study," "exploration of a man disregarded by society," and "broader cautionary tale" — we aren't expecting the film to feature a ton of CGI add-ins or SFX tweaks. Rather, it seems more likely that the post-production phase of development on Joker will be about ensuring a consistent tone and captivating atmosphere.
Phillips hasn't been shy in the least bit about what's been happening behind closed doors on Joker. To celebrate the first day of filming, Phillips uploaded a photo of himself — another black-and-white one, which makes this recent one even more special — and continued utilizing social media to stir up anticipation from then on. His Instagram page has been the place to be for all Joker-related reveals, like the first photo of Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, the first video of Phoenix in his Joker makeup, and the first look at Zazie Beetz's single mother character Sophie Dumond, plus a cheeky pic of Phoenix kicking back with his feet up and a sad snap of him looking forlorn in a cheap clown costume.
Clearly, Phillips leveled up his social media game while shooting Joker, and many are assuming that his streak of teases won't stop just because principal photography has. There's a good chance the director will continue to post behind-the-scenes photos as Joker enters the editing phase. He could reveal more information about the film, sharing photos that might confirm or deny fan theories that claim Phoenix isn't playing the real Joker and that Arthur Fleck is the half-brother of Bruce Wayne. He may also give us sneak peeks at other characters like Arthur's mother, Penny (Frances Conroy); Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas (Brett Cullen); talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro); Alfred Pennyworth (Douglas Hodge); and young Bruce Wayne (Dante Pereira-Olson). Heck, Phillips might even be the one to share the very first teaser for Joker when the time to do so eventually comes. In any case, keeping your eyes glued to Phillips' Instagram page is probably a good idea if you are in any way interested in the forthcoming flick.
Joker is set for release on October 4, 2019.
