Think back to April of 2015, when Suicide Squad director David Ayer first revealed what Jared Leto’s Joker would look like. Remember the abundance of “ha ha ha” tattoos? The one purple glove? The silver teeth? The word “damaged” stamped on his forehead? Well, prepare to meet the exact opposite of that image:
This, apparently, is our first look at a pre-Joker version of Joaquin Phoenix from director Todd Phillips’ Joker. Note the lack of tattoos, the non-purple clothes, and the non-green hair. Is this really the man who will eventually make Batman’s life so miserable? Phillips’ caption simply says this is “Arthur,” a name that holds no significance in the traditional take on the Joker’s origin (if there is such a thing), but a That Hashtag Show report from July actually claimed that Phoenix’s character would start out the movie as a man named Arthur Fleck who returns to Gotham City so he can care for his ailing mother. Now, Phillips’ Instagram post seems to have confirmed that rumor.