The future of DC movies has been blurry for the past year or so. Warner Bros. is ditching the shared universe model of its marvelous competition and opting instead to focus on solo movies. The recently released Joker is an intense look at the character audiences have yet to see on the big screen.
It bares no connection to the previous DC works like Justice League and Shazam!. The film has received universal praise from fans, and more or less great reviews from the media. Since it is the newest film from the comic line, here are five reasons Joker has us excited for the future of DC films, and five reasons it has us worried.
Excited: Gotham As ’70s New York
New York City isn’t what is used to be. While it still makes a stunning backdrop for films, projects shot there in the ’70s and ’80s had a special flare because of how dangerous the metropolis was. Movies like Taxi Driver wouldn’t have felt the same if they were shot in Miami. Joker recreates this vibe by modeling Gotham after the city during this decade. If future movies go for the same era, we won’t complain.
Worried: Associating Darkness With Excess Violence
The Joaquin Phoenix film is one of the darker comic book adaptations yet, but that’s not just because people die in grotesquely violent ways. It also has to do with the main character’s descent into madness and eventual rise into the villain people recognize. People often take the wrong message from things, though, and it wouldn’t be surprising if all DC films from here on out feature people getting messed up in all manner of ways just for the sake of it. Violence definitely establishes and contributes to a tone, but themes and performances are more effective and subtle ways at conveying an oppressive atmosphere.
Excited: Giving Directors More Freedom
Todd Phillips said he was given relatively few limits to make the movie he wanted. The whole idea for a standalone film based on the character was his, and he pitched it to the studio. Hopefully its success is signals Warner Bros. to give filmmakers more freedom during the creative process. Most directors and other crew members have studied their art for a long time and know how to make a halfway decent product. Audiences also aren’t morons and can handle a more mature story.
Worried: They’ll Copy Classic Films
Maybe it’s not right to compare the movie to classics like Taxi Driver and King of Comedy - though the latter is admittedly less revered - but the film invites such a comparison with its casting of Robert De Niro. His role particularly invokes King of Comedy.
These are two of the best movies ever made, and of course any other movie will look worse when juxtaposed with them. Hopefully future films won’t so heavily resemble all time classics. Joker also does have original ideas on its own, so this isn’t saying that it’s a one for one copy of those two Scorsese films.
Worried: Having Two Versions Of The Same Character
This one isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it will confuse some members of the audience. If Jared Leto shows up in Birds of Prey or some other DC film, how many are going to scratch their heads in confusion?
Several reboots in a lifetime are one thing, but two continuities running concurrently is a whole other ballgame. Most film goers are probably smart enough to understand the separation of continuities, but the studio shouldn’t muddle it up too much.
Excited: Grounded Stories
Comic book films are getting to a point where they don’t feel the need to shoehorn in excessive action scenes or special effects. Joker is a drama through and through. It’s still violent and exciting, but the violence is meant to be off putting and it’s exciting in a way that makes the viewer nervous. While everyone is down to see a good action romp every once in a while, it is encouraging to see DC films potentially moving away from needless spectacle.
Worried: Actors Not Returning
This film is seen as a one off, which is disappointing. It is a solid entry into the genre, but it is far from perfect, and it would be great to see Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix return to further explore their ideas.
Phillips isn’t against doing a sequel, but as of now it is a standalone story. If all the darker, more macabre origin stories will be one offs, it would be unfortunate to see lightning in a bottle be let out so soon. At the same time, it would also prevent Warner Bros. from exploiting properties until they are no longer interesting.
Excited: Future Character Study Origin Stories
Everyone knows that movie studios cannot let a good thing go. Even if sequels are out of the question, more villains’ origin stories are bound to make their way to the big screen. Given how different this movie was from anything else out there, future standalone films could be anything. The DC universe has a whole slew of villains, many of whom have yet to be seen on screen, who are just ripe for a standalone film. Everybody is just dying to know what’s going in Rainbow Creature’s head, after all.
Worried: They’ll All Be Dark
This is a problem DC has remedied with more upbeat romps like Shazam! and Aquaman, but this movie’s critical and commercial success may change their minds. Ultimately they should understand that gritty stories and fun adventures can exist side by side. The DC universe is certainly big enough to accommodate both. Just look at the MCU; movies like Ant-Man exist side by side with dark political thrillers like Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Exciting: R Rating
This may seem self-contradictory, but being thankful for an R rating doesn’t mean being excited for blood and guts. With the understanding that the film will contain mature material also comes freedom for the director and writers. They don’t have to worry about content being too extreme for a mass audience. This doesn’t mean characters have to needlessly maim each other, but it does mean the crew can film it and put it in the movie if the story deems it appropriate.
Next: 11 Biggest Spoilers From DC’s Joker Movie
