The last two days have been filled with Batman related news with rumours swirling that legendary director, Martin Scorsese, is in talks to produce a stand-alone origins story for Batman’s greatest foe, The Joker, and that Matt Reeves’ The Batman film will be set outside of the DC Extended Universe.
According to Deadline, the crown prince of crime will indeed be getting his own film, which will follow his origins story in the grittier 1980s style of Martin Scorsese, who will be producing the film. While still in its infancy, Todd Phillips (The Hangover) and Scott Silver (8 Mile) are said to be penning the script, with Phillips set to direct and co-produce the film alongside Scorsese.
The Joker film will essentially be “a gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy.”
Being an origins tale and a stand-alone film means that the role of The Joker is to be re-cast, potentially with a younger actor, and the film will exist outside of the current DCEU.
On the other end of the scale, the dark knight’s tale looks set to be outside of the DCEU as well, with Matt Reeves confirming that his upcoming film, The Batman, will not be linked to the DCEU and will be more in line with his own personal vision for the character of Batman.
According to Reeves, Warner Bros. approached him promising a direction that could go outside the Justice League continuity.
“When they approached me, what they said was, ‘Look, it’s a standalone, it’s not part of the extended universe’,” Reeves said.
Whether this means that the story will take place prior to the Justice League and whether Ben Affleck will actually reprise his role, remains to be seen.
Whatever it is, the Batman franchise is certainly in need of a shake-up and a fresh new direction.