The latest iteration of the iconic DC villain has garnered positive reviews so far, with a few naysayers that lean towards the other end of the spectrum. However, one thing that cannot be denied is Joaquin Phoenix's performance as the clown prince of crime.
Described by director Todd Phillips as an effort to "take the comic book movie universe and turn it on its head," the R-rated and controversial Joker isn't intended to be the setup for a parade of sequels or spinoffs.
Joker looks to be a stand-alone feature that has a very complex character-driven narrative. The Joker is one of the most iconic villains in fiction, a unique characteristic of the character is that he has no definitive origin story. So Jquin's Joker could very well become canon. However, it doesn't look like DC will be going for that option right now.
Reportedly, Phillips wanted to be the first to examine a major comic book creation through the lens of a 1970s-style character study like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Taxi Driver. "I was definitely influenced by the movies that I grew up on, these great character studies of the '70s," Phillips said during the Venice Film Festival.
"And kept thinking, 'Well, why can't you do a genre film in the comic book world like that, and really do a deep dive on a character like Joker?' And if you get a great actor and great people behind it, we could really do something special," he added.
So, it begs the question. Does Joker have a post-credits scene? The answer to that is a resounding no. The film has no end or mid-credits scene. Joker is a cinematic piece that stands on its own and will not be serving as a jumping off point for a cinematic universe as of now.
