Did you ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?  No?  Well then do you want to know how I got these scars?  Nothing?  Well then I’m not gonna kill ya; I’m just gonna hurt ya, really really bad.  Because if you want to make a joker in the movies you need to make sure he has a catch phrase even though they managed to NEVER give him one throughout 175 years or whatever of comic books.  And now, apparently, we are going to get another bite at the white and green apple.  And Jared Leto is probably annoyed.

According to Variety and some other outlets, Warner Brothers is looking to make a Joker origin story co-written and directed by Hangover director Todd Phillips.  And here are the scant details we have.

  • As mentioned, the guy from the Hangover is “In talks” to co-write and direct.
  • Martin Scorcese is “in talks” to be attached to the product.  I doubt he will be the young Joker.
  • It will be set in the 1980s and be a gritty crime drama rather than a straight up “comic book movie”.
  • I am now “in talks” about going on a date with Charlotte McKinney.  I am talking to my cat who has not denied that he can speak on her behalf.
  • Jared Leto would NOT be the Joker in this movie.

So now let’s think about this.  They could make The Killing Joke but just the old timey parts, spin it into the 80s so it sort of fits with the timeline of the current universe.  The idea of the Joker walking around the same Gotham as the Goodfellas is appealing.  But I am still not sure what their angle is with this.  I mean, sure the Joker is very recognizable but if you are going to make him as crazy as he is in the comics then you need to make a REALLY gritty origin.

Like, maybe he is a kid who is clapping erasers which makes his face all white and the other kids laugh at them so he cuts off the teacher’s butt and wears it as a hat.  Actually…that’s pretty good.  So his daring move backfires because all the kids call him butthead so he leaves the school and decides to steal a pair of Air Jordans.  Then he notices that Miami Vice is on a TV in the window of the store and he decides to dress all cool like Crockett but then another TV has Prince so he decides he likes purple!

OK now I am just naming a bunch of 80s things. I guess it can work and the idea of Scorcese bringing us the baddest of the bad guys is really intriguing, but I’ve been intrigued before.  In the 80s.  The show was Manimal.  He was a man who could turn into animals.  Manimal!  Dammit.  Any movie with 80s stuff in it is awesome.  Look how much people love Glow!

Pac Man.  OK, I’ll stop.

The Joker could wear a Member’s Only jacket! Ugh.  Stop me.  Do casting in the comments.  Who should play young Joker???  Parachute pants!