Joker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed and produced by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver.
The film, based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker and provides a possible origin story for the character.
Set in 1981, it follows Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian whose descent into insanity and nihilism inspires a violent counter-cultural revolution against the wealthy in a decaying Gotham City.
Joker premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2019, where it won the Golden Lion, and was released in the United States on October 4, 2019.
Joker became a major box office success and set records for an October release. It grossed over $1 billion, making it the first R-rated film to do so, the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2019, and the 31st-highest-grossing film of all time.
Joker received numerous accolades. At the 92nd Academy Awards, the film earned a leading 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, winning Best Actor for Phoenix and Best Original Score for female composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. Phoenix and Guðnadóttir also won at the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award ceremonies.
Joker was intended to be a standalone film with no sequels but Warner Bros. greenlit a follow-up project. Joker: Folie a Deux, with Phoenix and Beetz reprising their roles and Lady Gaga joining as Harley Quinn, was released on October 4, 2024.
