Take a look at more leaked set footage, including Joaquin Phoenix as the 'Joker', crying in a phone booth, from the currently shooting "Batman" spin-off feature "Joker", written and directed by Todd Philips:
"...principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Joker', starring Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix in the title role...
"...directed, produced and co-written by Oscar nominee Todd Phillips.
"...directed, produced and co-written by Oscar nominee Todd Phillips.
"Joker” centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen.
"Phillips' exploration of 'Arthur Fleck' (Phoenix), a man disregarded by society...
"...is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.
"The film also stars Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais and Shea Whigham.
"Phillips directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with writer Scott Silver based on characters from DC.
"The film is being produced by Phillips and Bradley Cooper under their Joint Effort banner, and Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
"It is executive produced by Richard Baratta, Michael Uslan, Joseph Garner and Bruce Berman..
"A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in Association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in Association with BRON Creative, a Joint Effort Production, 'Joker' is set for release October 4, 2019, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures..."
""I take a lot of time and consideration when making decisions and what I'm gonna' work on," said Phoenix. "It feels unique, it is its own world in some ways, and maybe, mostly...
"...it scares the shit out of me or something. It might as well be the thing that scares you the most.
"I think, underneath the excitement of these films, and the size of them, there are these incredible characters that are dealing with real life struggles.
"And sometimes that is uncovered and exposed, and sometimes it isn’t.
"And so I always felt, like, there were characters in comics that were really interesting...
"...and deserve the opportunity to be kind of studied..."
Created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, the 'Joker' debuted in the first issue of DC Comics' "Batman" (April 25, 1940)...
...inspired by the tragic, German Expressionist film "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) based on the classic novel by author Victor Hugo.
In "The Man Who Laughs", actor Conrad Veidt plays 'Gwynplaine', whose face is permanently disfigured into a grotesque grin, after offending 'King James II'.
Gwynplaine becomes a traveling freak, selling his disfigurement for money, while falling in love with a blind woman.
DC's 'Joker', is usually portrayed as a deranged, criminal mastermind, with a warped, sadistic sense of humor.
He evolved into a 'goofy prankster' in the late 1950's in response to regulations by the 'Comics Code Authority'...
...before returning to his darker roots.
The most common origin story sees him falling into a tank of acid chemical waste...
...bleaching his skin white, hair green and lips bright red, with the resulting look driving him insane.
...including the 1960's "Batman" television series...
...(played by Cesar Romero) and in film by Jack Nicholson in "Batman" (1989), Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (2008), and Jared Leto in "Suicide Squad" (2016).
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Joker"...