The Joker Origins Movie: Todd Phillips Developing Standalone Film
Warner Bros. and DC are reportedly exploring a fresh approach to their comic-book slate with a standalone origins film centered on one of Batman’s most infamous adversaries, the Joker. According to reports, director Todd Phillips—best known for The Hangover—has been tapped to develop and produce a cinematic origin story that would exist outside the current shared universe continuity, allowing the filmmakers to pursue a distinct tone and creative freedom.
Sources indicate this project would be the first release under a new Warner Bros. banner dedicated to one-off character backstories and self-contained films drawn from the DC comic book universe. The aim of the banner would be to introduce or reintroduce characters in standalone stories that do not tie directly into the ongoing DC Extended Universe continuity. That structure would give directors like Phillips the latitude to recast iconic roles and pursue unique visual and narrative experiments without affecting the studio’s broader franchise plans.
Early reports suggest Phillips is collaborating with screenwriter Scott Silver, whose credits include 8 Mile and The Fighter. The creative duo are reportedly interested in telling a darker, character-driven crime thriller that examines how the Joker became the person the world recognizes. Rather than revisiting recent portrayals, the team is said to be pursuing a younger iteration of the character, focusing on a period-style setting—most likely the 1980s—so they can build an atmospheric, standalone portrait of descent into chaos.
Another notable element of the reporting is the rumored involvement of Martin Scorsese as a producer. Scorsese’s work—particularly his explorations of ambition, madness, and the criminal underworld—has been cited as a stylistic touchstone for the project, and his input would point the film in a more mature, psychological direction. Phillips and Silver reportedly want the film to draw from classic Scorsese crime dramas for tone and character study, while still remaining its own, original piece of cinema.
As for casting, current accounts say Jared Leto, who played the Joker in Suicide Squad, is not expected to return for this incarnation. Instead, the creative team appears to be searching for an actor suited to a younger or more formative version of the Joker, someone capable of anchoring an intense, standalone origin drama. Casting remains speculative at this stage and no official announcements have been made.
Todd Phillips is primarily known for his work in comedy features—such as Due Date and the remake of Starsky and Hutch—so audiences may be surprised by his pivot toward a darker, more dramatic project. That contrast, however, could be an asset: Phillips has shown an ability to craft memorable characters and sharp, tonal filmmaking, and collaborating with a writer like Scott Silver and a producing voice like Scorsese’s could steer the film toward a distinctive, adult-oriented entry in DC-based cinema.
The project is currently in early development, and the script is not yet finalized. No release date has been announced, and it remains unclear how this standalone Joker origins film would fit into Warner Bros. and DC’s broader release schedule or strategic roadmap. Given the tentative nature of the reports, details are likely to evolve as development proceeds.