Joker continues to set box office records in theaters around the world. However, the gritty reimagining of the iconic DC supervillain could have seen a much different filmmaker at the helm: Martin Scorsese.
A source close to Scorsese has claimed the Academy Award-winning director had reportedly signed on to the project with the original intent to direct the film before handing the reins to Todd Phillips. Scorsese was initially attached as an executive producer when the project was officially announced in 2017 before quietly ending his involvement to focus on completing his longstanding passion project The Irishman for Netflix. However, a representative for Scorsese has denied the report, claiming he was only ever interested in a producer role for the film as Phillips had pitched the project to Warner Bros. himself in 2016.
While Warner Bros. has declined to officially comment, a source from the studio claimed Scorsese originally signed on to executive produce the film because of its New York City production location before passing the project to longtime producing partner Emma Tillinger Koskoff.
Since Joker's release, Scorsese has publicly lambasted Marvel Studios movies as "not cinema" and compared them to theme parks rather than actual films due to a perceived lack of emotional, psychological content.
Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Bill Camp, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais and Shea Whigham.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)