Joaquin Phoenix Joker and Robert Pattinson Batman SHOULD NOT meet, and here’s why

- Written by James Walters

Our soon-to-be Batman and our new Joker, eternal adversaries but should they face off? [Image Source: Metro]

With the release of the new Joker (2019) film starring Joaquin Phoenix and the news earlier this year that Robert Pattinson would soon don the cowl as our new caped crusader, many have wondered if the two icon of comic books would come face to face on the big screen. While it’s no secret that Joker is Batman’s arch enemy and the two actors involved would undoubtedly make for a great viewing experience, after seeing Joker (2019) I don’t think they would work out being in the same universe together.

Of course this is semi-redundant as the actor and director involved with Joker (2019) have both already confirmed that their interpretation of the clown prince of crime won’t be encountering the new Dark Knight in the future. This news left many out there disappointed as the film is currently receiving rave reviews from both critics and audience members everywhere. At time of writing, the film has a score of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 90%.

Having just been the see the film myself this past weekend (my review can be found here), I have found myself on the opposite side of this argument and truly believe that Joaquin Phoenix as Joker and Robert Pattinson as Batman shouldn’t share the screen as these characters (or at least not any time soon). Here are my thoughts on the matter.

Joker (2019) is a very new and interesting take on the iconic character; we are shown Arthur Fleck in his entirety and watch as he slowly breaks down and becomes the Joker due to his mental state and the environment has found himself in. It’s a truly gripping and dark story of a man who is already teetering on the edge as he is pushed over it by a society that couldn’t care less about him. It’s a film that’s as much a commentary on classism and the conditions of one’s life defining who they become, as it is about mental health and the need to raise awareness of issues surrounding mental health. Arthur isn’t a hero, he isn’t even someone who we are supposed to identify with by the time the film ends, but he is a character that despite his murderous tendencies we as an audience cannot completely fault him for turning out the way he does because of the outside forces that push him into it. In short, he’s far more complex than he would be, or even could be, had he been introduced as the antagonist of a Batman movie.

Knowing this version of the Joker as we do, I find it difficult to completely accept him as a plausible villain for a Batman film, or any other superhero based film at that. Previous versions on screen, such as Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto all gave us the insane and villainous portrayals of the character that we expect him to be. While only one of those examples gave us a brief glimpse into how they became the Joker, Joker (2019) gives us an entire film of backstory and origins that make us see him in a whole new light. Yes, Ledger and Leto’s performances were great in their own right and worked well as antagonists in their respective franchises, but Joaquin’s Joker demands much more thought and attention into the mind of the villain than any before it.

While we have yet to see anything regarding the new Batman movie, due out sometime 2021, it would be considerably difficult for anyone that has seen Joker (2019) to take him only as an antagonist for Batman. If they were to bring in Joker at some point for what is likely to be a new trilogy of movies, they would have to bring in another actor to portray another version of the villain. One who would be believable as nought but a bad guy for Batman to defeat. Bringing in this Joker only for him to play second fiddle would be a detriment and insult to the masterful portrayal and characterization we have been given by Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix.

So while many will mourn the fact that Phoenix and Pattinson won’t be facing off at any point, I for one am glad. To take this new iteration and ask us to hate him by proxy of being Batman’s enemy would not sit right with me as an audience member. Happily give us another Joker for him to face, or even bring back Jared Leto, provided they actually give him some screen time.