Todd Phillip's Joker will dive into the origins of Batman's most infamous villain. The Crown Prince of Crime once led a normal life, one that is barely explored in the comic books. The most famous Joker origin comic, which has not be included in canon, is The Killing Joke. In the Alan Moore story, Joker (much like Batman) suffers one horrible day that changes his life forever. The villain starts off as a comedian who is struggling to take care of his pregnant wife. After he signs on to help a criminal group hit a lucrative lick, Joker learns that his wife and unborn child have died in a tragic accident. Paralyzed with grief, he attempts to back out of the robbery, but the criminals force him to continue with the plan. The plan goes horribly wrong, ending with Batman chasing the Joker, who jumps into a vat of chemicals that flushes out into the sewer. When the chemicals change the villain's hair, skin, and lips to look like a clown, the combined shock from his new appearance and the grief from losing his family snaps his mind.
Although Phillip's movie may borrow elements from The Killing Joke, it will also veer into new territory. As reported by Comicbook.com, Joker has recently cast a young Bruce Wayne. Dante Pereira-Olson will play the Dark Knight to be, while Douglas Hodge earned the role of his trusty butler Alfred Pennyworth. It looks like Joker will be setting up more than one origin when it hits theaters next Fall.
