Joker: Todd Phillips Says They 'Didn't Follow Anything from the Comic Books'

The DCEU may be back with Shazam!, but WB is releasing a film that is not in-universe with Joker. With the trailers giving us a look at a very unique looking Clown Prince of Crime, director Todd Phillips explains that the film didn't draw any inspiration from the comics.

Talking to Empire, Phillips says:

"We didn't follow anything from the comic-books, which people are gonna be mad about… We just wrote our own version of where a guy like Joker might come from. That's what was interesting to me. We're not even doing Joker, but the story of becoming Joker. It's about this man."

If anything, the movie draws a lot of inspiration from movies—specifically works by Martin Scorsese. From the trailer alone you can see influences from Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy—both films starring Robert DeNiro; it's funny how it all comes full circle with DeNiro himself starring in Joker, but this time, he's the victim of the crazy person.

With this movie trying to tell its own story, I think it's pretty cool that it doesn't draw inspiration from any comics. This way, we get a version of Joker that's pure and completely original—not weighed down by anything that came before it. Then again, I'm sure there's going to be some influence, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Catch Joker when it hits theaters this coming Oct. 4.

See Also: Joker Director Todd Phillips Shares Two New Images Of Joaquin Phoenix