Marc Maron and a MADtv Alum Join the Cast of Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’

With Todd Phillips' Joker set to begin filming in NYC next month, the cast is finally starting to round out, with some key roles being filled by two funny comedians. First up, Variety is reporting that "WTF" podcast host Marc Maron is joining the cast to play "an agent on Robert De Niro’s talk show who plays a part in booking Phoenix’s character, and eventually causing him to go mad and become the Clown Prince of Crime."

There were rumors swirling that the film would be taking more than a few cues from Martin Scorsese's wildly underrated 1982 flick The King of Comedy, and this casting news only seems to reinforce those rumors. It's a nice nod to cast De Niro in the Jerry Lewis role, tying that whole homage thing up quite nicely. Anyone worried about Maron's acting chops should check him out on Netflix's G.L.O.W., as he's more than proven his ability to play a sleazy manager.

Another funny guy joining the cast will be MADtv alum Bryan Callen, one of the show's original eight cast members. Callen made the announcement on his "The Fighter and The Kid" podcast (h/t ComicBookMovie), saying this about his character...

“I’m doing the Joker. I was offered a part. That’ll be fun, but i think it’s only a couple days. Play an aging dancer, stripper. I don’t want to go into the details. I can’t go into the details, but just know it’s gonna be good. And I hope my psoriasis is flaring cause that’ll be very funny. I’ll be in a Speed-O, I can’t wait. I have some ideas for it.”

Callen's casting is a little less surprising than Maron's as he has appeared in almost all of Phillips' movies, most notably Old School and the first two Hangover movies. These are both funny dudes, and I look forward to seeing what they bring to the film.

Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, and Frances Conroy, is scheduled to hit theaters on October 4, 2019, just one week before Jungle Cruise.