Director confirms Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker will be rated R

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

With a budget of $55 million, co-writer/director Todd Phillips' upcoming JOKER origin movie starring Joaquin Phoenix is said to be more along the lines of a crime thriller than the average comic book movie, and a "dark character study" in the vein of TAXI DRIVER and THE KING OF COMEDY. And today we have more confirmation on this via Phillips himself who just let us know that the movie's MPAA rating will be a solid R.

Phillips says:

It will be Rated R. I've been asked this a lot. Just assumed people knew. Sorry. 

Sounds good to me! I guess like Phillips mentions, one might assume this movie was going to be rated R. But then again, on the other hand, a comic book company such as DC isn't known for releasing R-rated content so color me happy and slightly surprised. Sure DEADPOOL and LOGAN snagged R-ratings but that was Marvel. Good to see DC stepping up their game. What do you think? Let us know below!

Written by Phillips and Scott Silver, JOKER draws some inspiration from the Alan Moore comic book The Killing Joke.

In Alan Moore’s version of the Joker’s origins, the villain was an unnamed failed comedian who struggles to make ends meet for his pregnant wife. When his wife is killed in a freak accident and a robbery he is forced to take part in disfigures his face, the comedian snaps, becoming the infamous Joker.

Phoenix's co-stars in the film include Robert De Niro as a talk show host; Frances Conroy as Penny, the mother of Arthur Fleck, the man who becomes the Joker; Marc Maron as an agent; Brett Cullen as wealthy mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne, father of future Batman Bruce Wayne; and Zazie Beetz as a single mother who catches Arthur's attention. JOKER is set to bring a new classic (no pressure) to your local movie theater on October 4, 2019.