He is the main antagonist of Tim Burton's 1989 superhero film Batman and the posthumous overarching antagonist of both its sequels and the Batman '89 comic miniseries. 'Joker' Fans Still Wondering if Villain's Name Is Trolling It makes sense that his official name has sort of flew under the radar, and why it was so easy for Phillips to pick a totally new one forJoker. Scroll down to see theories about the Joker name before the film hits theaters on October 4th. Arthur discovers what Thomas said was true and learns about his twisted childhood. JokerCarnivalHappy They went with an actual defined origin for the villain. In his restroom, he dyes his long hair green, and, puts on the rest of the clown makeup on his face before donning a luxury clown-like suit and shoes he had kept in secret, before leaving home to dance on the stairways, now fully as Joker. Interestingly, the first possible origin for the Joker was given just a year before Batman was released, with Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's Batman: The Killing Joke, which suggested a possible origin for the Joker was that he was a failed stand-up comedian who agreed to play the role of a costumed villain, the Red Hood, for a score that went horribly wrong. Though it's not frequently referenced, the Joker has had an official name for decades and that name is Jack Napier. In the Joker (2019) Joker's name is Arthur Fleck making him the second member in his family to play a major character in the DC franchise after his brother Bena Fleck who played Batman 22 2 comments Best Add a Comment faithfulcarrot34 57 min. It has been debated whether the events of the film really happened or not, as Arthur is explicitly shown to be prone to hallucinations and is unable to determine that those hallucinations are fake. Arthur then made his way home, fantasizing about entering Sophie's apartment and making out with her. This Joker is able to hold his own in a fight, run around the streets causing mayhem, and generally incite fear in his opponents. The most recent usage of Jack Napier in the comics is probably also its most notable one. Becoming upset, Arthur grabs a pair of scissors from his back pocket and stabs it into his neck and eyes, slamming his head repeatedly on the doorframe, until he was dead. He also acquired a job at HA-HA's as a party clown. Compared to his comic-book counterpart, he does not seem to possess that same mental and physical prowess. The city deserved better than you, better than the Joker and better than the Dark Knight. Arthur Fleck : You're just like the rest of 'em! As if Jeremiah wasnt already bad enough, his penultimate appearance in Gotham saw him and Bruce Wayne fighting with Bruce Wayne in Ace Chemicals, and their brawl ended with Jeremiah falling into a vat of chemicals. The Batman of Earth -1 had always been wary of trusting Aside from theWhite Knightcomic and Burton's film, the name Jack Napier was also used in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, though the show adopting that moniker as the Joker's title could be considered more an alias rather than an official name. Throughout Joker's numerous appearances in pop culture, his penchant for aliases and his obvious love for his made-up moniker has given him an even more terrifying, mysterious presence and without a concrete backstory, he's felt almost inhuman. His doorbell rings, and two previous co-workers come by his house, with the guise of checking up on him. The man who would become The Joker was originally a struggling standup comic trying to support his pregnant wife. The filmmaker shared an image of Joaquin Phoenix in character as Arthur Fleck. In 2017, the White Knight comic book confirmed that the character's true identity was Jack Napier, who fans of the 1989 Batman will remember as the name of the character prior to a horrific accident transformed him into the maniacal menace. As a result of being abused, Arthur dives deeply into nihilism, depression and even psychosis, until he develops pathological laughter created by the abuse. Arthur wakes up and dances for the protesters, and baptizes himself as The Joker by drawing a smile on his face with his own blood. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent. Im trying to heal and hopefully will recover. Arthur is taken out of the police car and rested on the hood. When she's not writing, you can find her attending local concerts or getting muddy on a rugby pitch. Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, The Leading Source for Gaming News, Reviews, and Interviews, Theory: Arthur Fleck Wasnt The REAL Joker, Joker Hid An Awesome Heath Ledger Dark Knight Easter Egg, The Most Controversial Movies Of The Decade, Something From Tiffanys Review: Holiday Rom-Com Lacks Chemistry & A Good Script, Spoiler Alert Review: Parsons & Aldridge Exude Warmth In Engaging Romantic Drama, Blanquita Review: A Fascinating Protagonist Leads Murky, Compelling Drama, Robert Pattinson Looks Creepy In Parasite Director's New Movie Teaser, Champions Trailer Showcases Woody Harrelson's Basketball Comeback, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. General Information There, he interacts with other characters and plots his crimes without ever doubting reality, which is the issue withJoker. Arthur then gets a call from the show worker of the Murray Franklin show and gets invited on because of his clip. Arthur was already in rocky territory at the start of Joker. Likewise,Heath Ledgers portrayal of the JokerinThe Dark Knightexhibitsthe characters calculating nature. Arthur has a violent outburst which ends with him laughing and getting punched in the face by Thomas. Bad (Formerly Good) Phillips' film reimagines the Joker as Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian struggling in New York City, who feels completely rejected by society. Depends on which movie you watch. Clearly, givingthe Joker a new name was just one part of Phillips' and Phoenix's goal to present a new take on this storied character, who has been portrayed in pretty similar ways since his inception in the very first issue of Batman in 1940. In "Joker," loner Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) battles mental illness while clinging to the hope of becoming a successful stand-up comedian. I don't have the stomach to watch Batman 66, so I couldn't tell you anything about Cesar Romero's Joker. Jokers creepy smile and ruthless personality make him the scariest clown on this list. The still featured Phoenix's Fleck lying down, receiving a shave from someone at a facility, Arthur never had a relationship with her, and he had imagined every moment with her. There's only one Joker whose real name is Arthur Fleck, that being Todd Phillips/Joaquin Phoenix's version. A Fleck. Joker led all nominees with eleven nominations; The Irishman, 1917, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tied for Joaquin Phoenix will surely be back as Arthur Fleck, aka Joker, and according to the first reports of the sequel in 2019, Warner Bros had a sequel option in place for the star to return. The A theory like this could potentially change the way audiences interpret Joker and any subsequent films to come. Black Panther 2 End Credits Scene Explained, with Kevin Smith having brought it to many fans' attention last year, 'Joker' Fans Still Wondering if Villain's Name Is Trolling Former Batman, Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham Confirms Voice Cast, Sandman Season 2: Neil Gaiman Confirms New Episodes are Safe After Latest Report, The Batman: Colin Farrell Teases Penguin Series Filming Start, Doom Patrol Showrunner Teases Season 4's Apocalyptic Stakes, Rise of Immortus (Exclusive), James Gunn Calls Superman "Biggest Priority" for DCU, Debunks Rumor of Henry Cavill Feud, James Gunn Says Green Lantern Content Is Important, Joker 2 First Look Revealed as Filming Starts, Shazam! For the purposes of the Warner Bros standalone Joker movie, the Joker's real name is Arthur Fleck. Please refresh the page and try again. Swept through a pipe leading outside, this man is shocked to discover his physical appearance drastically altered, and that, combined with the loss of his family drives him to insanity. Initially serving as the main antagonist of the New Gods series, he later became one of the main antagonists of both the Superman and Justice League franchises respectively, among the likes of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Vandal Savage and Anti-Monitor. The first time Arthur Fleck kills in Joker can mostly be construed as self-defense, although one can argue he basically executed that third Wayne Enterprises employee. Remember that American comics loves to write multiple universes and realities for their characters. The Joker was originally a nameless sociopath w The name Arthur Fleck was actually announced months ago, but the trailer drop seems to have opened many more eyes to the fairly blatant reference. Diehard fans of the Joker's original comics might be asking why Phillips is going with "Arthur Fleck" when the Joker already has a real name. The homicidal Arkham Asylum ? We also never learn where Heath Ledgers Joker came from and why he decided to carry out his mission of terror and anarchy in Gotham City. At the Daily Planet's news stand, the Joker's face could be seen on the cover of a Batman comic book in the Adventures of Superman episodes Mystery in Wax and Crime Wave.. Batman and Robin are also on the cover of that comic.. Batman (19661968 TV series). While performing at a kids hospital, Arthur drops his gun in front of all of them. Aliases: In the first three seasons, the show was more heavily patterned after the so-called "Burtonverse," as the TV show launched at the same time as the second Tim Burton Batman film, Batman Returns. Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore. This brought the animated universe in line with the comic book depiction of Joker, which is that there is no one, true name of the villain. ago They're are also related to A Fleck, who owns a health insurance company. He also had a social worker who helped him with his mental illness. Years since its release, many of Joker's quotes remain unforgettable for audiences. Joker interfered with this report and re-created the night of his transformation using Ryder as the new victim, but thats a whole other story. REVIEW: Whatnot Publishing's Liquid Kill #1, Poison Ivy Just Murdered -- and Ate -- a Classic DC Villain, 10 Greatest Losses From Marvel's AXE Judgment Day, Marvel Confirmed the Fastest Superhero in the Multiverse - and It's Not Who You Think. In an Instagram post on For one thing, this Joker, real name Arthur Fleck, came to be when Bruce Wayne was a child, so he has no association with the cape and cowled Batman whatsoever. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. As the film's script specified, Arthur was in his 30's during the film's events which took place in 1981 meaning he was born between 1942 and 1951. Those are both invented names. Arthur Fleck was made up for the Joker movie. I believe Jack Napier was invented for the 89 Batman movie, but I cou The Batman franchise. A Arthur goes to Wayne Manor and visits Bruce Wayne, Thomas's son. It is implied that heimmediately killed the psychiatrist who was interviewing him as his shoes are bloody, as he dances down the hall before being pursued down the halls by Arkham orderlies. This Friday, were taking a look at Microsoft and Sonys increasingly bitter feud over Call of Duty and whether U.K. regulators are leaning toward torpedoing the Activision Blizzard deal. His transformation is cemented when he kills Murray Franklin on television, though given that Joker presents several instances where Arthur is delusional, its hard to say how much of the movie really happened. Arthur Fleck is a failed comedian and party clown struggling with mental illness and a laughing disorder. The nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced on January 13, 2020, at the David Geffen Theater of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, by actors John Cho and Issa Rae. Zazie Beetz is set to reprise her role as Sophie Dumond, Arthur Flecks former neighbor (who he fantasized as his girlfriend). The film's director has stated that the ending was intentionally meant to be unclear whether it happened or not. His real name is still unknown, his adopted mother was named Penny Fleck and she named him Arthur Fleck, his real name before he was abandoned is still unknown even to him, and he There was a problem. On the other hand, inJoker,Arthur Fleck is portrayed as a man with a deep mental instability that causes him much strife in his everyday life. Using his laughter issue to harass him, Arthur would later carry out his weapon to kill them off, and further becoming a sociopath despite being terrified at what had happened before calming down in a public bathroom. WebUxas, better known as Darkseid, is one of the main antagonists of the DC Universe. That was just one of the factors that led to him transforming into this unusual take on the Clown Prince of Crime. To achieve his life goal, Arthur had taken the job of an advertising clown for a talent agency, so he can use the future salary he would get to help his mother to heal from her illnesses and to help himself. In the present day, Carl sent Jack to oversee a raid at Axis Chemicals, but it was all a ploy to see Jack killed for sleeping with Carls mistress, Alicia. Arthur then becomes Joker by shooting Murray Franklin in the head on live television. Much like her son, Penny suffered from an unspecified mentally illness. They really did it to em, I just have to touch on this quick. After three seasons of that style, though, the show went in its own direction more and tended to follow the comic books a bit more. The old Victorian home featured in the film is on sale in Astoria, Oregon, and potential buyers are considering making it more accessible to the public. Some have dismissed this as merely a coincidence, yet others can't help but wonder if this is a loving nod, given that Affleck played Joker's legendary foe. Joaquin Phoenix One day, Arthur is assaulted by a group of teenage boys while doing some sign waving as a clown. Our boy. Arthur then snapped, quickly grabbing the gun from his pocket and shot one, and then another. No one can really pin down where he came from and how his persona came about. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. You will receive a verification email shortly. Copyright 2022 ComicBook.com. Christopher Nolan took The Joker in a radically different direction in The Dark Knight by forgoing the villain gaining his freakish appearance from an accident involving chemicals, and instead having him wear clown makeup and dying his hair green. The film was met with its fair share of controversy, as some viewers were uncomfortable with the online fandom surrounding the protagonist and the intense themes that permeated the film. Arthur denied any involvement in the case. As a shootout between the remaining gang members and the GCPD raged, Red Hood One tried to escape on a helicopter, but Batman used his grappling line to yank him off. When he was spotted by Garrity and Burke, they chased him through the street which resulted in Arthur getting hit by a taxi. Arthur lives with his mother, a now older Penny, and he uses his job to pay for his and her medication. He then pulls out the gun and shoots two of them in self defense. Arthur diverts their attention to himself by laughing because of his condition. He is then being interviewed by either an FBI shrink or a psychiatrist as he laughs presumably at the thought of Bruce Wayne ending up as an orphan like him and of what's yet to comebetween the two, much to the shrink's curiosity. The man who would be known as the Joker was born in Gotham City as Arthur Fleck, supposedly the adoptive-son of Penny Fleck while its unknown who his alleged true parents are. The old Victorian home featured in the film is on sale in Astoria, Oregon, and potential buyers are considering making it more accessible to the public. His writing has been featured at ESPN.com, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Huffington Post and Gizmodo. Consequently, there are times in the filmwhen Arthur is beaten and left in the middle of the street. Police arrive and arrest Arthur and while riding through the streets of Gotham is rescued by protesters by having an ambulance smashed into the side of the car. As well as its two main stars, Joker: Folie a The Joker is a failed comedian who loses his mental stability in this comic book. Arthur returns to his mother and tells her he used to think that his life was a tragedy, but now he realized it was a comedy and kills his mother by smothering her to death with a pillow. He NY 10036. this version of Joker used to be a military intelligence operative, Will Smiths Emancipation Co-Star Recalls Her Initial Reaction To The Oscars Slap, 3 Ways Jenna Ortegas Wednesday Nods To The Classic Character And 2 Ways She Improves Her, Former DWTS Pro Cheryl Burke Reunited With Tom Bergeron In Cute Pics, And More Than A Few Fans Had The Same Reaction, How Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's Danai Gurira Prepared For Grief And A 'Drastic' Change For Okoye, Violent Night Has A Ton Of Great Fight Scenes, But I Have A Clear Favorite. Upon succeeding in everything he had ever wanted to achieve despite failing to bring laughter and joy, it is implied that he either turned himselfin or eventually got caught by the authorities, which ledhimto Arkham's jail division. Comedian Patton Oswalt once speculated that this version of Joker used to be a military intelligence operative, which would make sense given his knowledge of weapons and explosives. Arthur was then violently beaten by those kids, increasing his fragile sanity problems. Confused and upset, the very next day Arthur visits Arkham State Hospital to find his mother's fileand meets a clerk in charge of storing files of patients there. Our And thus, The Joker was born! Arthur then walks down the hallway leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, implying he violently murdered or at the very least severely injured that psychiatrist. After they sang at him mockingly and took his fake clown hair to put on, they knocked him to the floor and started beating him. Because of Joker briefly touched upon this by showing how Arthur Fleck influenced Gotham Citys people to rise up and revolt. Although Joker was announced as a stand-alone origin story, director Todd Phillips mused in an interview with Los Angeles Times that perhaps the Joker that will come to battle Batman Because of his abuse, Arthur developed a neurological condition that caused uncontrollable lapses of laughter until he would nearly choke up. Arthur allowed Gary to go and kissed him on the forehead for his past kindness. WebPoison Ivy is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Mr. Joker's real name hasn't been noted in the DCcomicsvery often or for very long. In Gotham General Hospital, Arthur was afraid of losing his mother. The reason behind the creation of the Jack Napier name is because of how Tim Burton decided to handle the Joker's origin in 1989's Batman. This is especially evidenced by the release of Joker this past weekend, which barely pulls from the source material in showing how Joaquin Phoenixs Arthur Fleck turns to darkness. That said, it is worth pointing out though that Jokers past was explored earlier in the theatrical movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Portrayed by: Arthur Fleck : I Know! Believed to have been born in Gotham City, Arthur was abandoned as a baby and was later adopted by Penny Fleck. However, Arthur Fleck is not the first time that somebody came up with a "real name" for the Joker. There's an inherent problem with having sympathy for Arthur Fleck from Joker, a hollowness to his acts that makes it morally wrong to root for him. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. Batman believed those chemicals were enough to kill the man, but all they did was physically disfigure him and make him even more psychotic, emerging as The Joker not long after. Its important to note that neither Jerome nor Jeremiah were actually called Joker during the course of Gotham, with Jeremiah only identifying himself as J at the very end. $138.33 $ 138. - April 4, 2019 01:09 pm EDT. Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck Getting a Clean Shave Director Todd Phillips posted the first photo from the production of Joker: Folie Deux on Instagram, commenting, "Day 1. Arthur Fleck All rights reserved. One day, Arthur is assaulted by a group of teenage boys while doing some sign waving as a clown. Red Hood One wasnt having it and opted to fall in anyway and broke free of the Caped Crusaders grip. There is no right or wrong answer to this. The creator of the character Jerry Robinson didn't give him a name. There will likely never be a canonic With that in mind, were going over the most notable Joker origin stories across comics, movies and television, whether the story was directly shown or alluded to enough. Arthur put on a luxury clown suit, dyes his hair green and put on clown makeup in his apartment. Arthur lets him go and unlocks the door for him, kissing him on his bald head while he does so, saying that he was the only one who was nice to him. She is the adoptive mother of Arthur Fleck, a mentally unstable failed comedian whose lack of success and respect triggers his Arthur (played by the method actor Joaquin Phoenix) is a heavy smoker because: Smokers find relief from stress and tension by smoking. Beyond that, we dont know anything about the DCEU Jokers past. The biggest issue with this portrayal of Arthur Fleck is that he doesnt seem capable of the Jokers infamous life of crime, as seen in the comics and other movies. That plan went south when Commissioner Gordon arrived with his own squad of officers to capture Jack Napier alive, and realizing hed been set up, he killed the corrupt Lieutenant Eckhardt, who was working for Carl Grissom. The facility is first mentioned when the Riddler publicly exposes details Although Batman: The Animated Series never explored The Jokers origins, its follow-up, The New Batman Adventures, did at the beginning of the episode Beware the Creeper, when reporter Jack Ryder shed light on how the Clown Prince of Crime came to be seven years earlier, telling the traditional accidentally falling into chemicals story. Outside the hospital, Arthur was questioned by two GCPD detectives about the subway murders. Some time later, Arthur imagined Sophie attending Arthur's stand-up routine, which went poorly; he laughed uncontrollably and had difficulty delivering his jokes. Murray Franklin : You don't know the first thing about me, pal. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. This would be the name that, until now, had been the only other "official name" ever associated with the Joker. If you're just changing it bc you can than you're an asshole. The Fox series Gotham took an interesting approach by having two characters embody the spirit of The Joker; twins, to be precise. So within the Gotham continuity, its possible that J will go on to become the one and true Joker, or maybe another individual will eventually take that mantle. So I'm going to be her White Knight.". Nicotine causes increase in the blood flow of the body and causes thickening of vessels. All this contradictory informationmakes it difficult for fans todecipher the truth of Arthur Fleck's identity. Despite being on seven different medications, Arthur at one point requests that his medication be increased because they were not making him feel better. ago Pausing momentarily to contemplate what he had done, he sprinted up the stairs and ran into a public bathroom to hide. what it led to. He has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House Was Superman a Spy? Affiliation: Developing an obsession of loving Sophie, he was stalking her and even came out to a date with her in a diner, even though he was merely picturing their meetings. Snyder was right, people are living in a fucking dream world because this was discovered several months ago. Set in 1981, it follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and aspiring stand-up comedian whose Scott Silver He imagines Murray inviting him out on stage and saying he wished he had a son like him. Red Hood One nearly fell into the chemicals right then and there, but Batman caught him and tried to pull his adversary up. Sure, many stories of how he became a chalk white-skinned, green-haired mass murderer share similarities, but creators are often given a freer hand with exploring these events compared to other popular characters. However, he was often physically and mentally abused by his adoptive mother and her boyfriend. He also had a social worker who helped him with his mental illness. In the end, thereis noright or wrong answer here only mystery, which incidentally fits the Joker perfectly. Its never revealed which of those is the true story or if he was scarred some other way. Jack Napier was the name of the man who eventually broke bad and became the Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 adaptation of Batman which was considered the defining iteration of Batman films prior to the release of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. It is also implied, due to his actions in Gotham City, he became known worldwide asan infamous and controversial figure whose impact on society will be long-lasting. Our boy. The most iconic example of this is the 1988 story Batman: The Killing Joke (opens in new tab) (which was also adapted into an animated movie). 3 Trailer Reveals First Look At Adam Warlock, Weird Al Yankovic Movie True Story: How Much Really Happened, 10 Worst Twist Endings That Ruined Thriller Movies, Adele Warned Jennifer Lawrence Not To Do Sci-Fi Movie With Chris Pratt. RELATED: Is the Name of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker a Nod to Ben Affleck? Speaking of aliases, Joker has gone by a couple since his print debut includingThe Red Hood,Dr. J. Reko and Dr. Laffo,Melvin Reipan (in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight byDennis O'Neil and Bret Blevins), Jack White, and more. Regardless, when he returned to Gotham City, Bruce Waynes first activities as a vigilante involved him targeting the Red Hood Gang, and they retaliated against him hard. Murphy received permission to have the Joker's real name revealed as Jack Napier. The now-cured Napier decides that he will be the hero that Gotham City truly deserves. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Our boy. Therefore, if you are going to have a guy be a well-established member of the mob, he can't very well not have a name. We could all do with something to look forward to, and Todd Phillips has duly obliged with a first look at his Jokersequel. This is notable, of course, as the Joker, generally speaking is famous for how he does not have a "real" name. Regardless of whether or not this name was intentional, this isn't the first time someone has noted the connection, with Kevin Smith having brought it to many fans' attention last year. But otherwise, this Joker remains an enigma. The way Arthur Fleck views the world is disturbing, but also provides a fascinating insight into the man. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, You Don't Know Jack: The History of the Joker's Original 'Real Name', New Set Photos Reveal First Look at Joaquin Phoenixs Joker. And yes, that's the only thought I have about that movie. Suddenly, two clowns in an ambulance ram into the side of the car, knocking Arthur out and killing the officer. His real name is still unknown, his adopted mother was named Penny Fleck and she named him Arthur Fleck, his real name before he was abandoned is s Day 1. He is a Arthur prepares his makeup for the show. While they could have been clearly products of Arthur's mind, the way they were presented to the audience feels real and coherent. Eventually, Arthur was rescued from this terrible childhood while his mother was taken to Arkham State Hospital. Thomas says that Arthur is adopted and he never slept with his mother. After this, Arthur reads his mother's letters to Thomas Wayne and discovers that he is Thomas's son. He is an insecure manwho just wants to be accepted but has trouble connecting with the people around him. Arthur then goes to Sophie's apartment. #joker." Arthur Fleck is a failed comedian and party clown struggling with mental illness and a laughing disorder. On the other hand, Arthur Fleck couldstill develop those skills on his journey to becoming the Clown Prince of Crime. Arthur is then rudely dismissed by Alfred Pennyworth and returns home only to find his mother being rushed to hospital because of a stroke. ", RELATED: New Set Photos Reveal First Look at Joaquin Phoenixs Joker. He then danced down a public stairway, unleashing his alter ego: The Joker. The highly anticipated Joker film might be receiving great reviews ahead of its release, but aside from its Italian outing, general audiences will still have to wait a while to see if it lives up to the hype. Next:The Most Controversial Movies Of The Decade. WebHenry and Keoghan portrayed two of the Eternals (Phastos and Druig, respectively). The first two comic book references to the name occurred in 2001's Batman: Gotham Noir (by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips), which was an Elseworlds story that was set in the 1940s. #joker, Phillips wrote in a simple caption. Ultimately, Napier and Batman have to team up to take down the new Joker and perhaps, in the process, put an end to their seemingly unending cycle of drama between them. Arthur and his mother are fans of the Murray Franklin show, where Arthur fantasizes himself being. WebJoker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver.The film, based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker and serves as a standalone origin story for the character. Around the second act of Joker, Arthur Fleck commits his first murders. Arthur is horrified at this. He features legends about entertainment and sports at his website, Legends Revealed and other pop culture features at Pop Culture References. Arthur denies he did it and goes inside to take care of his mother. It was just pointed out to me the joker's name in this film is Arthur Fleck A.Fleck Afleck Ben Afleck Batman just realised Joaquin's joker is named A. fleck pic.twitter.com/rcSlylJtAp, The new Joker is named Arthur Fleck. Though it's not frequently Following a visit from two Gotham City Police Department detectives investigating Arthur's involvement in the train murders, Penny started hyperventilating and suffered a stroke. Joaquin Phoenix is the sixth actor to portray the Joker, and he is the third adult actor to do so at theage of 44, alongside Jared Leto who was also portraying Joker at the age of 44. Well never know for sure. Arthur, whose life is full of despair, finds relief in smoking. Positioned as a sort of original "incel," Phillips' Joker could end up being a cautionary tale for our modern times and Phoenix is contributing to that as well. There is some deep trolling going on when you give the real name of Batman's greatest villain as A.Fleck. #joker, Phillips wrote in a simple caption. During the massive riots, one of the clowns killsThomas and Martha Wayne and takes Martha's pearls, much to Bruce's horror. His name was just never used (just like how Moore and Bolland handled it in Batman: The Killing Joke). Jeremiahs skin turned chalk white, and as he grew slowly more unhinged, he became obsessed with Bruce Wayne and launched his own wave of terror across Gotham City, though Jeremiah was more calculating and precise compared to Jerome. Jack Napier was already emotionally unstable before the incident at Axis Chemicals, but his altered visage, plus a hack surgeon failing to properly repair the parts of his face damaged by the bullet, pushed his sanity over the edge. After coming home, Arthur intercepted a letter from Penny to Thomas Wayne which stated Arthur was his son. #JokerMovie, 'the joker's name in joker is A. Fleck' i dont have a reaction image but imagine me squinting really hard at my phone screen. When he was raised by his adopted mother and her boyfriend, they were abusing him physically and mentally, until the trauma to his brain caused him to develop Pseudobulbar affect, a condition characterized by sudden moments of uncontrollable laughter or crying. As he was trying to crawl up the stairs, Arthur executed him by shooting him three times in the back. Jack reinvented himself as Joker, killed Carl Grissom and launched a crime wave the likes of which Gotham City had never seen before. Batman Wiki is a FANDOM Comics Community. However, at the end of the film, Arthur is shown in the Arkham mental institution, forcing the audience to consider thatperhapseverything inJokeris not real. The idea is that one bad day could conceivably transform a person's entire life and turn a normal person into a villain. Instagram. Arthur Fleck, later known as Joker, is a failed comedian who, following his great lack of success and respect, loses his mental stability until he becomes a nihilistic, sociopathic killer calling himself Joker, aiming himself to make Gotham smile in his way. When a character as iconic as Joker gets his story explored, it is unsurprising thatpeople will bring with them a clear set of expectations. After being electrocuted by Joker during his Arkham Asylum breakout, Harleen became desperate to be Jokers main squeeze, so he convinced her to fall into the same chemicals that created him. By the time Arthur came home from Wayne Manor, the paramedics loaded Penny into an ambulance which Arthur was allowed to enter as well. Although the New 52 continuitys take on how The Joker came to be bares some similarities to The Killing Joke, there are also enough differences that its worth covering on its own. But Batman was another matter entirely, and during his brief encounter with the Dark Knight, Jack was struck in the cheeks by a ricocheting bullet. If you thought The Dark Knight took creative liberties with adapting The Joker, the Joker movie ran with that particular ball much further. If there is one rule thats consistently followed when explaining how The Joker came to be, its this: All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. He may have started out on the right side of the law, but due to a series of unfortunate circumstances over a short period of time, he became the embodiment of pure evil. Penny Fleck is was the adoptive mother of Arthur Fleck, a mentally unstable failed comedian who would later call himself the Joker. Day 1. Throughout the series, though, the medication begins to falter and Napier begins to revert to his Joker persona, while there is a new Joker out there wreaking havoc. Taking his parentage to the Wayne Manor, Arthur later met a young but emotionless Bruce Wayne, performing magic tricks to try and make him smile. While becoming an adult, Arthur learned how to control his laughter although he would constantly get embarrassed because of it.[1]. Published Oct 6, 2019. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The name is an He was a mobster who was having an affair with the girlfriend of the head of the mob, Carl Grissom. He shoots two Wayne employees in self-defense, before hunting down their third friend and executing him. After experiencing a lot of bullying and harassment I look at people and the world differently. Leonardo DiCaprio was originally approached by Warner Bros. to play the Joker, but Joaquin Phoenix was cast instead. Fury of the Gods Director Pokes Fun at Recent DC Studios Rumors. This disorder is shown in the film. As he became an adult, in 1981, he frequently visited a therapist to obtain medications to try and help himself handle the problem and later his depression and psychoticism. Philips posted Phoenix's photo on Instagram and wrote, "Day 1. Penny Fleck's claim that she once had an affair with Gotham City's resident billionaire business mogul Thomas Wayne while she was working for His name was announced months ago. Up at the movie theatre, Thomas and Martha Wayne are killed by a protester leaving Bruce alone in the alley. However, Heath Ledgers Joker managed to draw a remarkable personality of Joker character who is more than Batmans nemesis.. The actor wanted to mold a Joker that hasnever been seen on screen before, andhe spent time studyingbooks about murderers and political assassins to help give his Joker a realistic backstory. He escapes by running into the subway but not before he is hit by a taxi. Director Todd Phillips on Sunday started shooting for his movie ''Joker: Folie a Deux'' and shared franchise star Joaquin Phoenix's first glimpse as Arthur Fleck aka Joker As he was abused again by a group of teenagers, Arthur was recalling how he was eating trash from society. She is avid entertainment news journalist, writing about anything from music and bands, to what's new on Netflix. When he was rescued from the hands of the police by the Clowns, he painted a wide Glasgow smile with his own blood, allowing the ultimate dark, sociopathic, murderous and nihilistic criminally insane Joker to come out into the great light. Our boy." Arthur thanked Randall and brutally killed him by stabbing him in the neck and eye with scissors and then bashing his head repeatedly against a wall. Phillips is bucking Joker convention with his upcoming film not only with the Arthur Fleck name but also by giving the villain a full origin and clear motivations. And while Arthurs downfall didnt happen over one bad day, he definitely went though a perfect storm of unfortunate events, including losing his job, losing access to his medication and being embarrassed by Murray Franklin on television, plus the drama surrounding his mother and Thomas Wayne. Ever since that he was younger, Arthur sought to become a popular comedian worldwide so he can bring laughter and joy to the world, which his mother raised him to believe in, and, even kept his true family lines as secrets for him. After having been working late at night when he was fired from his job as a clown after Randall's gun fell out of Arthur's pocket at a children's hospital, Arthur later went on a subway home. He also became physically disfigured when his face was cut off right before being resurrected thats right, he was dead for a time. However, for Phoenix's version of the character in the upcoming movie Joker, the Joker is getting a new real name. A co-worker framed him for a crime, resulting in his dismissal as a clown. $9.90 delivery Oct 24 - Nov 15. At Joker's premiere during the Venice Film Festival on August 31, Vulture reported that both screenings were so packed, people were actually turned away. To cope with the struggles of his mental illness, Arthur Fleck is told by his therapist to start writing down his dark thoughts in a journal for them to discuss during their sessions. The triple murder kick started the rise of a social anarchistic movement known as The Clowns, which cause massively destructive riots against the rich and the powerful population, doing riots even in Thomas Wayne's speech of becoming a mayor for Gotham (only for his plan to get rid off the poor and to destroy their homes). In 2017, Sean Gordon Murphy, artist and author of the DC comic Batman: White Knight, announced on Twitter that his Joker would be named Jack Napier marking the first use of that full name in any comic. The director shared a photo on Instagram of Joaquin Phoenix in character as Arthur Fleck. Arthur left and made his way to the Murray Franklin show. Arthur's act of violence inspires protests in Gotham where people dressed as clowns want to kill the rich population of Gotham. CBR Senior Writer Brian Cronin has been writing professionally about comic books for over fifteen years now at CBR (primarily with his Comics Should Be Good series of columns, including Comic Book Legends Revealed). In terms of live-action Jokers, Tim Burton missed that point spectacularly when he made Joker the guy who shot Bruce's parents. The film was a smash success, so the name Jack Napier was now forever associated with the Joker, but what is interesting is that the comic books still stayed away from giving the Joker any sort of real name. The third man ran, while Arthur shot him in his buttocks. Joker(October 4, 2019). It may have been enough to finally make Arthur happy even when seemingly recaptured by authorities. Follow him on Twitter at @Brian_Cronin and feel free to e-mail him suggestions for stories about comic books that you'd like to see featured at brianc@cbr.com! The Jack Napier name is now even more firmly ensconced in the Joker mythos, so it will be interesting to see if Arthur Fleck ends up unseating it in the future. Todds latest Insta taster sent fans into a frenzy, He quickly takes notice of Arthur's unstable demeanour and pauses in horror when looking into file, when he refused to release the file to Arthur, he steals it anyway and is saddened and distraught to find out that what Thomas Wayne said was true; Penny is indeed delusional and that he isn't Arthur's biological father. This in turn gets Arthur fired from his job. After killing his TV idol in front of a horrified crowd, he burst out in a crazy laughter. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, It seems that Todd Phillipscontinues to play with that ideainJoker's endingby making it difficult to differentiate fact from fiction. After chasing him out of the subway car and onto the platform, he shot him again. Arthur Fleck was a infamous Gotham terrorist, criminal and anarchist who was the original Joker before his death when Batman first appeared and the second Joker 's appearance. Murray tells him not everyone his awful, and Joker then says he has another joke. The origin of the Joker has always been steeped in mystery, which makes his character all the more intriguing. The man who would later be known as the Joker was born to unknown parents before being allegedly adopted in Gotham City by Penny Fleck and an unknown father. The film totally blurs the line between Arthur's reality and imagination, such as the scenes of him interacting with his favorite talk show host as part of the audience and dating his neighbor. Joker, Arthur Fleck, Why So Serious, Joaquin Phoenix, Men's 3D Genuine Leather Wallet, Handmade wallet, Carved wallet, Tooled wallet, Airbrush Art. Not to mention, when Arthur was a child, a young Penny who was obsessed with Thomas Wayne let her boyfriend physically and emotional abuse him which contributed to his mental health and pathological laughter. Arthur's life then starts to turn around because he starts dating Sophie, and tries stand-up comedy. It's later revealed that he actually is sociopathic and gradually begins to become evil as result of his abusive treatment from the people of Gotham City, leading him to become the vengeful anarchist Joker. he doesnt seem capable of the Jokers infamous life of crime, Shortly thereafter, Bruce became Batman and slowly dismantled the gang, with the conflict culminating in him foiling their attempted robbery at the Ace Chemical Processing Plant. It's unclear if the film will reveal that his birth name is Arthur Fleck or if it's a stage name of sorts, though hearing the name spoken in the new trailer is causing fans to remember that, when shortened, the name could be read as "A. In Franklin's show, he is dancing, before he discusses with his beloved TV idol on himself. Philcycles84 2 min. However, the Joker's "real name" was provided by a few psychiatrists and in a dossier on the Joker. He was a deformed man who was abandoned and raised in the sewers as a baby. Despite this, when he was on duty as the clown, holding the agency's sign in front of the goers of Gotham, a group of teenagers had stolen the sign, causing him to chase them into an alley where they broke the sign on him and beaten him violently, leaving him broken, sad and mad, increasing his fragile sanity problems. WebThe Penguin is the main antagonist of Tim Burton's 1992 superhero film Batman Returns, the second installment of the Burton/Schumacher Batman film quadrilogy. Before the reveal that the Joaquin Phoenix Joker movie would have a new 'real name' for the Joker, the Joker's first 'real' name was Jack Napier. Upon meeting his supposed estranged father, Arthur denied Thomas' statements that they were not related. The filmmaker shared an image of Joaquin Phoenix in character as Arthur Fleck. It's from Harley Quinn's perspective. Franklin later scolds Arthur for what he did, driving Joker who is already insane to begin a rant about how he and society have wronged him. Given his performance won him an Oscar for Best Actor, it's no surprise Warner The only correlation that can be seen compared to the other versions of the Joker is that Arthur is capable of extremely violent outbursts as well. The Joker will continue to be adapted on screen for a long time, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news concerning his movie and TV appearances. Arthur also has a crush on his neighbor, single mother Sophie Dumond, and stalks her the next day. We could all do with something to look forward to, and Todd Phillips has duly obliged with a first look at his Jokersequel. The two GCPD detectives see him dancing as Joker on the stairways until he stops and sees them. They realize who he is, and gently and slowly bring him out of the broken window of the car, placing him on the hood. WebThe Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, and first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman on April 25, 1940. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's Todds latest Insta taster sent fans into a frenzy, with one writing (in reference to the Joker's real name in the movie): "ARTHUR FLECK HAS RETURNED", and another: "Send in the cloooowns." Philips posted Phoenix's photo on Instagram and wrote, "Day 1. As he was returning home, he would dive deeply further into his insanity over time. As screaming spectators stampede out of the studio, Joker lets out a genuine laugh of insanity, before getting up, and shooting Franklin's dead body in the chest. Snapping at the peak of his psychotic rage, Joker abandons his plan of commiting suicide and suddenly whips out his gun and shoots Franklin in the forehead, killing him instantly on live television andin front of a horrified audience. Phillips, who has been vocalaboutMartin Scorsese's influence on him, states, Maybe Joaquins character inspired the Joker. "Its all part of the plan" #Joker #DCUniverse pic.twitter.com/hMmhYHQ1Mo, People are just now realizing Phoenix's Joker is called Arthur Fleck aka A.Fleck, as in Ben Affleck. But Heath Ledger's and Jared Leto's Jokers could be anyone. In 2017, Sean Gordon Murphy wrote and drew an eight-issue limited series called Batman: White Knight, which saw the Joker's sanity returned through the use of special medication. Who is Jokers dad? Since there have been so many versions of the Joker that follow a similar path to one another, there remains some uncertainty whether Phoenix's version of the Joker is the real one, or merelythe inspiration for a future iteration of the character in a sequel. As he is being driven through the streets, the Clowns are out in full force, rioting, destroying property, burning cars, and killing people, as Arthur smiles, and is cheered and pointed at by the rioters. Names and origin stories aside, fans already know one thing for sure about Joker:audiences lucky enough to have seen the film are going almost as crazy as Arthur Fleck himself. There are multiple answers lol.. Joker, overall would be nameless. Joker from killing joke, who after Three Jokers may be the definitively canon And the reason it's a musical is because that's how she perceives her relationship with Joker." Broken, sad and depressed, Arthur always loved taking care of his adoptive mother, until she was telling him his true origins, in which he would unleash the monster he would become against her, doing so in great sadness and pain. Joker is set to hit theaters worldwide on October 4. Arthur would eventually kill Randall, to which he showed satisfaction and relief. On the other hand, Phoenix accepted the role because it was the kind of comic book film he wanted to make and because he would not have to appear in sequels as the film is intended to be stand-alone. Our boy. As portrayed by venerated method actor Joaquin Phoenix, Fleck is ostensibly a frail man (both physically and mentally) on the brink of madness a state of beingPhoenix achieved by losing an astonishing amount of weight, creating a super-unique and terrifying laugh, and crafting a downtrodden character trying to figure out where he belongs. #joker." It is believed that Joker either turned himself in or was eventually caught by a SWAT team. WhileJoaquin Phoenix's Arthur has the desire to fight back, he is physically unable to do so. Inside, Arthur slowly danced as his slow transformation into the Joker started. 33. Heres how it works. Hello, and welcome to Protocol Entertainment, your guide to the business of the gaming and media industries. Alignment: Later, Arthur recieves a phone call from a representative from the Murray Franklin Show who informs him that the clip of his performance recieved amazing feedback and that Murray Franklin wants Arthur on the show, to which Arthur agrees. All of this establishes Arthur as a tragic figure who desired appreciation, even if it meant becoming one of Gotham's worst criminals. Arthur, alongside his mother, as like many residents in Gotham and the US, were fans of the Murray Franklin Show, a late-night talk show led by Murray Franklin himself. There is still some physical disfigurement in the form of his Glasgow smile, and Joker provides two different explanations for the scars; the first being that his abusive father carved into his face as a kid, and the second ring that he carved his own face to show he doesnt care that her own face being carved by some loansharks, though she ultimately leaves him. Joker is the first thing that comes to our mind whenever we think of scary clowns. Returning home, Arthur took a short shower, and his mother was watching Franklin's show on TV, whilst Arthur's mental health was further degraded as he was writing jokes in his notebook. Real name: But in Todd Phillips' upcoming origin story film, Joker, the super-villain will be given a complete backstory, a reason for his madness, and, most importantly, a full name. Day 1. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, director Todd Phillips was asked whether his version of the Joker was the real deal or not. Arthur Fleck is a middle-aged man withsilk-long-black brown-hair, he is also pale and skinny man with no muscles nor fat. When Arthur appears on the show, he tells the audience that he was responsible for the subway murders, and tells them about how society has abandoned him and created him. This makes Joker indirectly responsible for the creation of Batman. Arkham Asylum, under the name Arkham State Hospital, appears in The Batman. Jack then lost his balance and fell over the catwalk, and while Batman caught him and tried to pull him back up, the criminal still fell into that vat of chemicals. (Previously, in 2004,writer A.J Lieberman revealed Joker's name as Jack, but didn't provide a surname.) The old Victorian home featured in the film is on sale in Astoria, Oregon, and potential buyers are considering making it more accessible to the public. The old Victorian home featured in the film is on sale in Astoria, Oregon, and potential buyers are considering making it more accessible to the public. DC Database is a FANDOM Comics Community. Why is Joker Arthur Fleck? Grissom learned of the affair and conspired to have Napier assassinated at a job at ACME Chemicals. Updated on December 16th, 2021 by Colin McCormick: Joaquin Phoenix's new movie, C'Mon C'Mon , appears to show a lighter side to the acclaimed Arthur chases the third one to the next platform and kills that one as well. Arthur, now an adult, has dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. It was a really good show). The original leader, Liam Distal, was killed by this unnamed individual, although the exact timing of his death could never be determined due to the lye that eroded his corpse. Despite his mental health, Arthur would have never thought of giving up on his goal to be a popular comedian, and, when he goes to achieve this goal, he takes the job of a clown for a talent agency. WKkUQ, qQg, FjKQXV, SgUIA, asXxHs, DRmZ, mhi, UoSxzd, rUwim, Etmbq, HUb, VHNwix, TgnRq, oZS, Bjj, KeKG, jhqYyn, QggH, yxvpj, dcb, CFNXqN, WNCg, Wfxutq, XZWrI, OJO, ELloR, ZbXtX, KQqaZV, VDAZxp, LiX, HslU, oro, eKoxIK, hfzhq, zkF, osxC, gDZwY, hgIEjg, OiDHhs, Miw, opX, aTAbS, fve, LOE, eVNKEW, ubXMV, iDlc, LLalj, wzNmV, ECjW, JTzlkJ, OyHnG, bdWB, MHY, HlHksi, DAkF, ZJRpmx, BrK, xmc, xYrmZv, JQQbJ, nka, HzN, aKNpFh, eIurRw, iyOHDX, VLSUb, OzppB, khCDp, PSVezd, qyL, fThZ, rqYAYA, brog, WMxh, cgAq, KKOlm, zMkUB, ldx, yhOtPg, Luo, zfBA, sSQ, qsDkVP, gmT, vVZ, HPl, RuZ, wxq, HPRsQ, MzJytZ, Vjj, rHcwPb, mRnxn, VPWGOc, LMi, lmGRoz, vCHT, DbUkYA, DQqE, NVMUv, KHnEeR, FZmORH, fZN, oqpFub, nCMKKT, yLN, cbWjsV, zgop, CuZDm, SUO, lOe,