Darren Aronofsky has claimed the upcoming ‘Joker’ origin movie from Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment shares some similarities to a pitch he made for a ‘Batman’ film.
The acclaimed filmmaker – who is currently promoting his latest big screen project ‘mother!’ – was previously attached to a shelved movie called ‘Batman: Year One’, and it would have seen him take The Caped Crusader’s origin in a very different direction.
Speaking to First Showing about the proposed Joker origin film – which could see Martin Scorsese produce – he said: "You know what, I think it’s finally … I think we were basically – whatever it is – 15 years too early. Because I hear the way they’re talking about the Joker movie and that’s exactly – that was my pitch. I was like: we’re going to shoot in East Detroit and East New York. We’re not building Gotham. The Batmobile – I wanted to be a Lincoln Continental with two bus engines in it."
Although the idea didn’t make it to the big screen, Aronofsky added that some parts of his grittier interpretation of the character were featured in other projects like ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’.
He added: "Some of my ideas got out there through other films. Like the ring with "BW", Bruce Wayne’s ring making the scar was our idea and I think that was in Zack’s or something. Which is fine, you write these ideas and they get out. We were all about reinventing it and trying to make it more ‘Taxi Driver’ visceral. That was the whole pitch. But the toy people were like, ‘Oh it can’t be a Lincoln Continental, you have to make a Batmobile.’ "
Darren Aronofsky says Joker origin is familiar
