Joaquin Phoenix As ‘Joker’ Screen Test Revealed, Twitter Debates

Source: Warner Bros. / Warner Bros.

Joaquin Phoenix is the Joker in the forthcoming origin film from Warner Bros. While we got a look at the actor on set this past weekend, today (Sept. 21), fans got blessed with a tease of the actor in full Joker makeup. 

Phoenix stars the title role alongside Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, while the film is directed, produced and co-written by the Oscar-nominated Todd Phillips.

The video shared by director Todd Philips is called a “camera test with sound” of the Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) character in the film. Described as “a man disregarded by society,” this is who will eventually become the Batman’s greatest and deadliest foe in a film that shows “not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale,” per Warner Bros.

Unless you’re already afraid of clowns, the look doesn’t exactly inspire fear. But it is just a “test” so we can’t be sure this is what the proper Joker will actually look like in the film. In the comics, the Joker’s natural skin tone is chalky white while his treacherous leer doesn’t require any makeup.

Now if ran into Phoenix walking down a dark street dressed like this, he is catching a proper fade, and we’ll ask questions later.

Joker is due in theaters October 4, 2019. Check out Twitter reactions to the reveal in the gallery.