History Trivia / Joker2019

** Phillips also wanted to shoot the film on 70 mm, but eventually had to go digital due to ExecutiveVeto.

** The movie's logotype was custom-made by graphic designer Chad Danieley using a wood type letterpress, then digitized. Usually, designers would create a unique logotype by distressing a regular digital font in Photoshop or Illustrator.

** Joaquin Phoenix talked about reading a review that was in form of a conversation between someone who liked the movie and didn't like the movie ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZRyP6Hgvc he says "read" but some found his descriptions of the review to be suspiciously similar to a certain video review of the movie]]). He admitted to getting some of his pride hurt by the negative review but found himself fascinated by how he felt both sides of the argument had good points.

* YouLookFamiliar: Creator/BrettCullen who portayed Thomas Wayne here, previously appeared in another Batman-related film, ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', as Congressman Byron Gilly.

* In Italy Arthur Fleck was voiced by actor Adriano Giannini, who is Joaquin Phoenix's Italian voice in a few other films. His father, actor Giancarlo Giannini, was Jack Nicholson's Italian voice actor, including in Tim Burton's ''Film/Batman1989''. So, in a sense, Arthur Fleck is Jack Napier's son there.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio and Creator/BillSkarsgard were considered for the role of [[Comicbook/TheJoker Arthur Fleck]] before the casting of Creator/JoaquinPhoenix.
** Creator/AlecBaldwin and Creator/ViggoMortensen were approached for the part of Thomas Wayne before Creator/BrettCullen was cast. Baldwin turned down the offer due to scheduling commitments to ''Literature/MotherlessBrooklyn''.
** Creator/ShaileneWoodley, Creator/GuguMbathaRaw, Creator/DakotaJohnson, [[Series/HowToGetAwayWithMurder Aja Naomi King]], and Creator/MaryElizabethWinstead were considered for the role of Sophie Dumond before the casting of Creator/ZazieBeetz. Winstead would later go on to portray [[Comicbook/{{Huntress}} Helena Bertinelli]] in ''Film/{{Birds of Prey|2020}}'' set within the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse.
** Creator/FrancesMcDormand was offered the part of Penny Fleck before Creator/FrancesConroy was cast.
** In a case of what could ''not'' have been, Phoenix had been in talks with Creator/MarvelStudios to play the titular ''Film/{{Doctor Strange|2016}}'' after Creator/BenedictCumberbatch initially turned down the part due to scheduling conflicts, but backed out due to his reluctance to take on a multi-picture deal. Presumably, had he not been so reluctant, we wouldn't be getting this film (or at the very least, someone else would be taking on the role).
** Todd Phillips pitched the movie as having a new label for DC Films that specifically focused on DarkerAndEdgier, non-canon stories to their shared universe, but Warner Bros. deemed that it was too early to think about doing that and released it under the standard DC Films banner instead. Given the film's success, however, Phillips' plans for the label are seemingly materializing.
** Joaquin Phoenix wanted to gain weight for the role, having lost too much weight for previous roles and also wanting to look the way a person like Fleck realistically would look. Todd Phillips overruled him and Phoenix reluctantly lost weight.
** According to the aforementioned ContentLeak, an earlier version of the script had a different story arc in mind for Sophie. Arthur originally ''did'' go out with her a few times, but she only did so out of pity, and she was romantically-involved with someone else. When Arthur discovered this, he went on an extended, borderline-misogynistic rant to her face, before telling her to watch Murray Franklin's show on the fateful night. This version of the story makes it clear that he didn't kill her, as she's shown watching the show with her child.
** Another element from the leaked script that didn't make the cut was a scene where Arthur originally told Sophie a story during a date, explaining that he cut a slight smile onto his face as a child to scare off bullies. The scene would get a call-back at the end of the film, where Arthur, now the Joker, would have used a glass shard from the car wreck to carve those wounds open again and spread them even wider in front of the crowd. This idea was ultimately scrapped, and Arthur instead paints the smile on his face with his own blood.
** The original script leak had a slightly different ending. After Arthur kills Murray, he escapes the studio. The riot occurs but in this version the rioters break into Wayne Manor, dragging out Thomas and Martha Wayne and executing them. Bruce, while this occurs, hides from the rioters and is found by Alfred the next day. Arthur eludes the police for a few days until he shows up at the Waynes' funeral and he is immediately seen. Arthur is chased and tries to flee but during the process is hit by a car and captured by the police.
** The script was going to have the song "Bennie and The Jets" in the movie but for some reason this was changed.
** Creator/MartinScorsese had hoped to direct the film for a few years, but ultimately declined as while he loved the whole idea of the Arthur Fleck character, his lifelong distaste for comic book movies meant he was never comfortable with how the movie would have to end with him becoming the Joker, and figured the comic fans deserved to have it be made by someone whose heart was in that ending.
** [[https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2487559/jokers-reported-alternate-ending-sounds-horrifying An alternate ending]] intended for the film had Arthur telling the joke he was thinking of to his psychiatrist in Arkham: that he had killed Thomas and Martha Wayne himself and left Bruce Wayne to cry before turning back and killing the boy. The ending was changed because Bruce's death would mean that Batman will never come to exist in the film's universe.

* CharacterSpecificPages: [[Characters/Joker2019ArthurFleckJoker Arthur Fleck / Joker]]

* IronyAsSheIsCast/CastingGag: Robert DeNiro, known for his intense dislike of interviews and appearing on talk shows, plays a talk show host.

* RevivalByCommercialization: The film made the Gary Glitter song "Rock & Roll Part 2" a sensation again with its use in the stairs dance scene. This led to the LA Times having to clarify that Glitter himself has long since sold the commercial rights to the song in America, and none of the royalties are going into the pockets of a convicted paedophile.

* InspirationForTheWork: The filmmakers cited the Creator/MartinScorsese films ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/TheKingOfComedy'' as influences on the film.

* InspirationForTheWork: The filmmakers cited the Creator/MartinScorsese films ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/TheKingOfComedy'' as influences on the film.

* DVDCommentary: Creator/ToddPhillips has a great one on the Blu-Ray, filled with plenty of unique stories of the filming process and some surprisingly insightful info on the films various themes and influences.

* ExecutiveVeto: Cinematographer Lawrence Sher revealed that he and Creator/ToddPhillips wanted to shoot on 70mm film like ''Film/TheHatefulEight'', ''Film/{{Dunkirk}}'' and ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', partially because Phillips prefers film stock [[https://www.indiewire.com/2019/11/joker-warner-bros-turned-down-70mm-film-shoot-1202189137/ but Warner Bros. refused to let them, so they had to shoot digital]].

** Zig-zagged: During an interview, Todd Phillips launched into a tirade about his desire to do ''Joker'' and leaving comedy was because of "woke culture" dictating what comedy should be and the like. Mind you, this was ''before'' the movie dropped. The result led to some mockery from the internet as a result of Phillips's tirade, especially considering [[Film/TheHangover his original foray in comedy]]. People immediately shut up, however, when the film ended up getting praise by moviegoers and raking a ''billion'' at the box office, without China to boot! Some even believe [[MagnificentBastard Phillips intentionally caused discourse]], knowing [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity how prevalent the media was with slandering the movie and making accusations towards it]].

* The film is also notable for being the first comic book adaptation to win the Venice International Film Festival's [[UsefulNotes/LeoneDOro Golden Lion]]. On related note, it is, as of 2020, the highest grossing film to win Golden Lion award and one of big 3 film festival award. [[note]]In case if you are wondering, the highest grossing Golden Bear winner, as of late February 2020, is Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and the highest grossing [[UsefulNotes/PalmeDOr Palme d'Or]] winner is Creator/BongJoonHo's ''Film/{{Parasite|2019}}''.[[/note]]

* RevivalByCommercialization: The film made the Gary Glitter song "Rock & Roll Part 2" a sensation again with its use in the stairs dance scene.

* PlayingAgainstType:
** You wouldn't expect Creator/ToddPhillips--the man who brought us ''Film/TheHangover'' trilogy--to direct a DC film, let alone such a dramatic one. [[Film/WarDogs This isn't the first time he's directed against type, though]].
** For Creator/DCFilms itself. The studio was initially created to shepherd the Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse, with the focus being on blockbuster franchise films. ''Joker'' is the first comic book film produced by them to deviate from this formula, instead being a standalone ProtagonistJourneyToVillain character study without a {{superhero}}ic figure and no major use of CGI or action scenes.
** In the Japanese dub, Joker is voiced by Creator/HiroakiHirata, a role quite unlike the actor's usual forte.

** Todd Phillips requested that no [[TheMerch merch]] would be produced around the film. When pitching the movie to Creator/WarnerBros executives, he was infamously told by some of them that they "can't [[MerchandiseDriven sell pajamas]] with this version of the Joker".

!!Assorted Trivia:
* ''Joker'' has become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, unadjusted for inflation -- having overtaken ''Film/Deadpool2'' (which grossed $785 million) within its first month of release and grossing over $1 billion (which, to reiterate, makes it the first R-rated movie to do so). It also overtook the unadjusted global gross of ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', which had the most successful modern live-action incarnation of the character up to this point. Due to these high returns and its modest budget, some analysts have suggested that ''Joker'' may be the most profitable movie based on comic books ever.
* The film is also notable for being the first comic book adaptation to win the Venice International Film Festival's [[UsefulNotes/LeoneDOro Golden Lion]].
** On related note, it is, as of 2020, the highest grossing film to win Golden Lion award and one of big 3 film festival award. [[note]]In case if you are wondering, the highest grossing Golden Bear winner, as of late February 2020, is Creator/HayaoMiyazaki's ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and the highest grossing [[UsefulNotes/PalmeDOr Palme d'Or]] winner is Creator/BongJoonHo's ''Film/{{Parasite|2019}}''.[[/note]]
* It has also scored 11 UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations, and another 11 UsefulNotes/{{BAFTA}} noms, making it the most nominated comic book movie since ''Film/{{Black Panther|2018}}''. It ended up winning two of said Oscars (Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix and Best Original Score for Music/HildurGudnadottir), which also means the Joker is the second character who two different actors won Oscars for playing, after Vito Corleone from ''Film/TheGodfather'' ''Part I'' and ''Part II''.

* YouLookFamiliar: Creator/BrettCullen who portayed Thomas Wayne here, previously appeared in another Batman-related film ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' as Congressman Byron Gilly.

** During the fateful confrontation between Arthur and Murray, Phoenix was supposed to say "What do you get, when you cross a mentally ill loner, with a ''system''...", but instead said "With a '''''society'''''...". Can also count as an AscendedMeme for all the jokes involving "society".

* HostilityOnTheSet: Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and Creator/RobertDeNiro had a clash during the earliest stage of filming. De Niro follows traditional rite of script read-through, a process that Phoenix dislikes. [=De Niro=] insisted that they did, and Phoenix half-heartedly accepted, mumbling through the entire read-through. They reportedly settled their differences immediately, but on set they hardly ever spoke to each other outside of filming. They maintained that their disagreement are strictly professional, however, and Phoenix went on to say that De Niro is his favorite actor.

** Zig-zagged: During an interview, Todd Phillips launched into a tirade about his desire to do ''Joker'' and leaving comedy was because of "woke culture" dictating what comedy should be and the like. Mind you, this was ''before'' the movie dropped. The result led to some mockery from the internet as a result of Phillips's tirade, especially considering [[Film/TheHangover his original foray in comedy]]. People immediately shut up, however, when the film ended up getting praise by moviegoers and ranking a ''billion'' at the box office, without China to boot! Some even believe [[MagnificentBastard Phillips intentionally caused discourse]], knowing [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity how prevalent the media was with slandering the movie and making accusations towards it]].

* DeletedScene: The scene of the [[https://youtu.be/6Bt0slFQVI8?list=PLemwFZPH1UMhor6dWb22MNH-1RI0IARLJ leaked filming footage]] that showed Arthur interacting in the street with Randall, with only Randall dressed as a clown. Arthur takies Randall's clown nose and throwing it on the ground. The trailer also has shots such as Arthur walking down the hall of his apartment complex in the Joker make-up and outfit, while carrying the flower prop from an earlier scene, which don't appear in the final cut.