Filmsane

And by it, I mean the scrutiny, the attention, the expectations, the criticism and the constant nagging from the fandom. Everyone’s got it, and most likely you won’t be immune to it.

You’ve probably heard the news. Joaquin Phoenix was chosen to portray the role of the Joker in the self-titled movie, and according to the latest interview that the actor did with IndieWire, he’s not fazed by the fan expectations.

“I could care less. I don’t really think that much about what people think. Who cares, who cares? My approach to every movie is the same. What I’m interested in is the filmmaker and the idea of the character.” Said the actor in the interview.

Written by Scott Silver (The Fighter) and directed by Todd Philips (The Hangover), the film is unique for superhero genre in its relatively small 55-million-dollar budget, and has already managed to attract other A-List actors in the cast, like Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy and comedian Marc Maron.

The production of the Joker begins next month and with that in mind, it’s good that he’s unfazed about this film/role. I get it. It’s his approach and I guess it’s a nice way of keeping his sanity while dealing with this role (even in pre-production).

But, I think that even he’s even aware that the scrutiny, the expectations and the criticism will follow him all the way to the premiere next year.

There is no way in hell, that Phoenix will be able to avoid them. There’s no escaping them, and although I respect the aloof and laid back manner of speaking about this role, he just knows that there are plenty of fanboys/fangirls that are waiting to crucify him if he does a bad job in the Joker role.

Look, he played Johnny cash, he played Jesus but the Joker is a different beast. With taking the role of Joker, he’s entering a franchise (his career’s first), a machinery that is concerned about money and appearance and that „I don’t care“ attitude is not welcomed in that franchise. And furthermore there is a stiff competition in that role all in itself. Warner Brothers is still moving forward with a Jared Leto starring Joker film, so there will be plenty of material of the audience to compare, nitpick and analyze for months and months on end.

So, in conclusion… My advice for Joaquin would be to get used to it. And get used to it quickly. To the expectations, to the attention, criticism and everything else that comes his way after the premiere. There’s a testament and legacy to the actors that played that character before him, and he should at least respect that by doing his best job in the Joker role. It’s the least he could do.