The Joaquin Phoenix Joker Movie Gets Official Title and Release Date

If it seems like all anyone at DC wants to talk about these days is Joaquin Phoenix's upcoming Joker standalone movie, it's probably because they haven't got much else to write home about. For the first time in a long time they've got a great actor taking on one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time, so of course they're going to be shouting about it from the rooftops.

Now the film has a release date and an official title, though don't expect either to knock your dick in the dirt. WB announced last night that the film will officially be titled Joker, because definite articles are so 2008. The film is also set to begin shooting in September, meaning that they'll only have 13 months to get the film finished and in theaters for its October 4, 2019 release date.

For the record, I'm actually very excited about this project. It should be the kind of thing DC focuses on, standalone stories where different actors can take on different roles and not have to rely on the interconnected universe that Marvel has already mastered. If DC wants to remain the Distinguished Competition, they've got to do something besides trying to force a shared cinematic universe on audiences, and this is the way to go.

We'll all find out soon enough whether this was a worthwhile endeavor or yet another swing and a miss from a studio that's on the verge of being benched.