No one expected it . Not the whizz , not the director , and we can safely assume not the studio either . But a little over a month since theat - the - meter controversialrelease of Joker , the photographic film issoon to crossbreed a billion dollarsworldwide .

“ It ’s not the box office but the reception that ’s been vindicating , ” director Todd Phillips toldthe LA Timesin a new audience . “ It ’s the fact that I get e-mail from people assure me that the movie made them look at their babe who abide from schizophrenic disorder in a different lighting . at long last , the picture is about the power of benignity and the lack of empathy in the Earth , and the audience seems to have picked up on that . It ’s awing that a film that was reckon to cheer , as they put it , aggregate havoc really has just inspired a bunch of citizenry dance down staircases . I think that speaks more to our times than anything . ”

Weeks before its release , many were worried the film ’s depictionof a man with mental illness resorting to violence because of how the globe treats him would cause more damage than good . TheU.S. military machine was warnedof potential furiousness , thestudio canceled interviews before the filmwas resign , eventuallyhaving to put out a statementstanding by its product , andsome dramaturgy added extra security . Though star Joaquin Phoenix was criticized for not address these proceeds , he ’s now had some time to reflect on it all and explainwhy he did n’t require to talk about potential furiousness .

Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips on the set of Joker.

Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips on the set of Joker.Photo: (Warner Bros.)

https://gizmodo.com/how-joker-was-crafted-to-leave-you-speechless-1838145850

“ It was an unenviable place to be in because I thought , ‘ Well , I ca n’t address this because this is the thing that is potentially part of the problem — that ’s exactly what you should n’t do , ’ ” Phoenix told the paper . “ So it abruptly seemed like I was being evasive and trying to invalidate this topic because it made me uncomfortable . But really I was cogitate , ‘ This is the very affair that would energize this kind of personality . ’ ”

Now thatthe film is out there though , Phoenix is more concerned in how cryptical fans have gone with their rendering of the flick but he ’s timid about the answers to most of those questions : what ’s genuine , what ’s not , what the film is trying to say , and what could come about next . He thinks all interpretations are valid but , in his nous , he does think his character , Arthur Fleck , is actually the Joker from the comic record book . “ But I do n’t know , it ’s just my view , ” Phoenix say “ with a wry smiling , ” described by the Times .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

Phillips said he and Phoenix would be interestedin a sequelbut that nothing is in the works . However , he does n’t think that if it happens it would merely stick to what happens next in Arthur ’s life . To be true to this film , it would have to go deeper than that .

“ It could n’t just be this waste and sick pic about the ‘ Clown Prince of Crime , ’ ” Phillips say . “ It would have to have some thematic resonance in a similar way that this does . Because I call up that ’s ultimately why the movie get in touch , it ’s what ’s exit on underneath . So many movies are about the spark , and this is about the powder . If you could bewitch that again in a actual way , that would be interesting . ”

https://gizmodo.com/joaquin-phoenix-seems-open-minded-about-a-joker-sequel-1838847290

William Duplessie

Head tothe LA Timesto read even more from the pair . Joker is still in house .

Correction : A previous version of this clause stated Phoenix did not think his version of the Joker was the veridical one when in fact the opposite was true . We regret the error .

For more , verify you ’re following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom .

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DC UniverseJoaquin PhoenixJokerTodd PhillipsWarner Bros.

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