The Joker origin movie has received an official greenlight from Warner Bros., and shooting is set to begin in September in New York. 

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line, The Master, Her) recently confirmed that he will star as the arch-nemesis of Batman in the film. The director and co-writer of the script is Todd Phillips ( The Hangover), a script that Warner Bros. describes as “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

The project is about $55 million dollars, which is significantly lower than the other productions that dominate this genre. However, the stand alone film indicates that the content of the film is darker and more experimental. This film will also become the first project that Warner Bros. can operate under its new banner, which allows Warner to expend under the realm of DC properties and create unique storylines that are independent from each other and allow different actors to play the iconic characters. 

There is no release date for the Joker origin film, but it is predicted to arrive as early as late 2019. 

Previous rumors suggested Jared Leto, the Joker in Suicide Squad, would take the Joker role in Phoenix’s film, yet apparently this is not the case. However, Leto is involved in another Joker stand-alone film which is still in development at Warner Bros.