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In the realm of superhero movies, DC has had its fair share of hits, but it has always been in the shadow of Marvel when it comes to creating a connected cinematic universe. Even with the success of “Wonder Woman,” which grossed $817 million, the concept of a shared universe didn’t seem to fit DC’s style. However, the tables turned with the release of standalone films like “Joker” in 2019 and “The Batman” in 2022, which were independent narratives not tied to any shared continuity.
These unique “Elseworlds” stories signaled a promising future for DC and Warner Bros., especially after the end of the DC Extended Universe. Instead of trying to compete with Marvel’s successful shared universe model, Warner Bros. found success in these director-driven projects. “Joker” grossed over a billion dollars, followed by Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” earning $765 million. Despite the success of these standalone films, Warner Bros. decided to revisit the concept of a shared universe, banking on the potential financial rewards. Thus, we anticipate the emergence of a new DC Universe.
It’s been confirmed that both Reeves’ “Batman Epic Crime Saga” and the “Joker” films will not be part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s newly formed DC Universe. However, there’s been speculation that Todd Phillips’ gritty portrayal of 1980s Gotham in “Joker” could potentially align with Reeves’ grim depiction of the same city in “The Batman.” Although the “Joker” films are set in the 1980s when Bruce Wayne is a child, it’s plausible that the events of these films could be part of the history of Reeves’ Gotham. This speculation led Phillips to deny any crossover between Robert Pattinson’s Batman and Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck. But the idea of Phoenix’s mentally unstable villain meeting his universe’s Batman has been a topic of interest since “Joker” premiered. Now, Phillips shares his thoughts on what such an encounter might entail.
Todd Phillips believes his Joker would admire Batman
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“Joker” subtly referenced Batman through its inclusion of a young Bruce Wayne (Dante Pereira-Olson), who encounters Arthur Fleck after his transformation from a troubled loner to an anarchic villain. The film also suggests that Thomas Wayne, portrayed by Brett Cullen, may be Arthur’s father. Therefore, it’s clear that Phillips didn’t completely disregard the traditional Batman lore in his film. Now, the director provides insight into what a potential encounter between Arthur Fleck and Batman might look like.
In an interview with IGN, Phillips shared his vision of Arthur being fascinated by Batman, stating, “I think Arthur would be in awe of the alpha male that is Batman. I really do. I think Arthur would look up and appreciate it. I think he’d be in awe of that.” Although “Joker” tells the story of a perpetually downtrodden and mentally disturbed outcast, the media quickly labeled the character as a symbol of toxic masculinity, with TIME’s Stephanie Zacharek dubbing him “the patron saint of incels.” However, such criticism seemed misplaced as Arthur’s descent into madness was depicted as a result of societal issues, specifically a lack of mental health support. Despite criticism, Phillips maintains that Arthur is not an avatar for a toxic online community, but rather a villain with no guiding principles, caring only for himself.
Phillips’ reference to alpha males in his explanation of Arthur’s admiration for Batman is somewhat surprising, given his previous rebuttal of the “Joker” backlash. However, he further explains why he thinks his Joker would be captivated by Batman.
Arthur Fleck aspires to be ‘a man at ease’
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Elaborating on his earlier statement that his Joker would be “in awe” of Batman, Phillips stated that Arthur “always had a fascination with men at ease, and he is not a man at ease.” He cites Robert De Niro’s character Murray Franklin from the first movie, a talk show host who Arthur idolizes and ultimately kills. For Phillips, Murray represents “a man at ease,” a state that Arthur longs to achieve. He further explains, “He probably saw the guys he worked with as men at ease, and that was the one thing that Arthur could never be was a man at ease.”
Whether Batman could be described as “a man at ease” is debatable. Batman is a psychologically damaged result of a horrific murder who has to don a bat costume to embrace his true nature. There may be a certain ease in accepting his dark side, but it’s not the same kind of ease exhibited by Franklin. Franklin is an accepted member of society, loved by his fans and respected by his peers. Batman, like Arthur Fleck, is an outsider.
Nonetheless, Phillips’ statement is not entirely new. The Joker has always had a complex relationship with Batman, marked by an uneasy mutual respect. This dynamic is evident in Heath Ledger’s iconic line from “The Dark Knight,” where he tells Christian Bale’s Batman, “I think you and I are destined to do this forever.” The Joker has always shown a strange kind of reverence for Batman, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Arthur Fleck was drawn to the Dark Knight. Will we ever see this happen? It’s doubtful. But if the sequel to “Joker” is as successful as the first film, we might witness this historic encounter.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
