The Script For The Solo Joker Movie Is Already Almost Done

And you thought they were kidding.

It seems like it was only yesterday that we were first getting word of a Todd Phillips-directed, Martin Scorsese-produced, Leonardo DiCaprio-targeting movie about the young life of the Joker. And just as we're starting to get used to the idea, word has come down that the script for the movie is nearly complete, suggesting a fast-tracked development cycle that may see the movie shooting as early as next year.

The news was broken by Justin Kroll of Variety, who reported that current information showed "THE JOKER script will be turned in by next week", adding that the turnaround was "super fast considering when announcement went out". 

"Bodes well for 2018 shoot," he added.

The script is reportedly being co-written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver, who wrote The Fighter, 8 Mile, and the upcoming White Boy Rick. It's a track record that's telling for what the content of the movie might be, aligning with reports that the movie would be a dark take on the character's origin story, focusing on a bullied kid on the streets of Brooklyn with a permanent smile.

All of this information is subject to change as development continues, which could be relatively soon, considering how quickly this whole thing appears to be coming together. In his reporting, Kroll emphasized that "there's only one Joker movie right now", which if true would appear to suggest that reports of a Joker and Harley Quinn film may have been exaggerated.

Hopefully soon we'll have some clarity on the suddenly muddled future of DC Comics on film as all of these ideas start to become real projects, because right now it feels like we're in a state where anything goes. If the Joker solo movie does truly go forward and find success outside of the larger DC Extended Universe story, it may herald some big changes for how the studio wants to approach their material in the future.

We'll have more news on this project as it develops. In the meantime, take stock of the character's track record on-screen so far with our feature on every version of the Joker ranked worst to bestevery version of the Joker ranked worst to best.