By now, we have a pretty thorough idea of what Joaquin Phoenix is going to look like in the upcoming Joker movie, both with and without his makeup. But if you’d like a better indication of what sort of criminal activity this latest incarnation of the Clown Prince of Crime could be getting up to, look no further than this latest report, which suggests that a bank robbery could be in the works.
We’ve known for months now that the Todd Phillips-helmed picture is operating under the working title of “Romeo,” and it just so happens that a set is being prepared under this name in Astoria Bank, New York. While we can’t confirm anything yet, you don’t need to be the World’s Greatest Detective to realize that in the dangerous world of comic book movies, a bank in the shooting schedule usually suggests a bank robbery in the story. What’s more, robbing banks would hardly be out of character for Batman’s old nemesis, who famously pulled off one such operation in the opening sequence of The Dark Knight. But hey, maybe Arthur Fleck is just looking to take out a loan.
This intel comes just a few days after a set video made its way online of Phoenix’s character stirring up trouble in the Gotham City subway, while showing off a characteristically loud suit. You can expect to see plenty more devilish set pieces in the eventual film, though it’s worth remembering that the movie is being promoted primarily as a character study, suggesting that Arthur’s psychology will often take priority over the action.
Either way, we’ll see how Phillips and Phoenix fare in exploring this warped mind when Joker comes out on October 4th, 2019.