Whereas most comic book movies these days tend to keep their biggest reveals under wraps until the last possible moment, next year’s Joker has already given us several good looks at Joaquin Phoenix in full clown costume, prompting the question of what exactly’s still being left to the imagination. But while it may seem like Joker‘s already given the game away when it comes to the title character’s appearance, this new fan theory suggests that we still haven’t seen Arthur Fleck’s final form.
From recent set photos, we can already gather that a conflict between Arthur and Thomas Wayne is going to serve as an important part of the drama. What’s more, we also know that the Clown Prince of Crime is going to spend some time dressed as a more conventional clown, and that he’s going to find a reason to be very upset while he’s in this colorful costume.
Drawing on this information, a new post from Reddit user KingWraithX offers a way in which one of these story elements could lead into the other.
“So my theory is that after Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is fired from his job as a clown he is approached by members of the [Falcone] Crime Family to [incite an] anonymous riot to make it seem as if Gotham is turning against Thomas Wayne. Arthur, with no other means to take care of his family agrees to the job and recruits local homeless people and attacks Thomas Wayne while he is doing an interview on a train.”
The theory then seems to bring Deadpool 2 actress Zazie Beetz into the plot for the final tragedy that will solidify Arthur’s villainous identity.
“Now during this sequence where Arthur and his gang are attacking Wayne they’ll show how Arthur is actually enjoying himself and that his mind is just beginning to crack. After this Wayne is seeking revenge and so he hires the thugs that hired Arthur to double cross him and so find him celebrating with his girlfriend, kill her and their child, and then throw him into a vat of acid, where he emerges as the Joker.”
For the most part, this seems like a well-reasoned prediction of how the upcoming origin story could play out. Though if this is the fate that writer-director Todd Phillips has in mind for Beetz, then it’ll surely make for the second comic book film she’s been in that draws criticism for indulging in the ‘fridging’ trope.
In any case, we’ll find out what dark journey Joker has mapped out for Arthur and his loved ones when the film hits theaters on October 4th, 2019.