For its new, already controversial stand-alone “Joker” origin film, Warner Bros. appears to have gone out of its way to infuse some anti-Trump undertones into the film — bringing in Trump-mocking Alec Baldwin and Trump-cursing Robert De Niro.
Along with Joaquin Phoenix (the Joker) and Zazie Beetz (Sophie Dummond), Baldwin will be joining the production to play Bruce Wayne’s father — but not the earnest and revered Thomas Wayne, as portrayed in previous films. No, this Thomas Wayne sounds a whole lot more like Baldwin’s blond-wigged, pouty-lipped SNL character.
As The Hollywood Reporter puts it, the dark Joker film will deliberately “veer off-center from the traditional Batman canon,” including in its portrayal of Baldwin’s Thomas Wayne, who is written as “a cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.”
De Niro, who hardly goes a week without making a headline or two for yet another foul-mouthed slam on Trump, is also now listed among the cast on IMDb, though his character has not yet been revealed. Other actors on the project include Marc Maron, Frances Conroy (rumored to be playing Penny), and Josh Pais (Hoyt Vaughn).
“Hangover” director Todd Phillips is directing and co-writing, along with writer Scott Silver.
The film is a bit of a risk on several levels, as it is a significantly darker and more low-budget film (only $55 million) than the usual blockbuster superhero movie. In a previous report announcing Phoenix as having landed the lead, THR noted that the studio has described the film as “darker and more experimental in tone and content” and an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”
Warner Bros. has made another risky decision related to the film: It’s reportedly planning to move forward on another Joker film starring Jared Leto, who played the role in “Suicide Squad.”
When the Joker origin film was first announced, fans and critics quickly began voicing their concerns about the idea of a mystery-killing origin film about the “overexposed” character.
Related: It’s Official: ‘Joker’ Origin Film Is On, And The Lead’s Not Jared Leto