Director Ridley Scott Did Not Like One Thing About Joaquin Phoenix’s $1 Billion Worth ‘Joker’
Joaquin Phoenix has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry and is currently at work on Ridley Scott’s upcoming historical epic Napoleon for 2023. It’s interesting to note that Gladiator director Ridley Scott isn’t normally a huge admirer of superhero movies. There is a major exception, though. He couldn’t help but be impressed by Joaquin Phoenix’s outstanding work in the box office sensation Joker, which brought in over a billion dollars. Phoenix rose to fame thanks to his portrayal of the famous character, but there was one aspect of the movie that didn’t exactly sit well with the director.
Ridley Scott’s take on Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker
The renowned filmmaker Ridley Scott, who is known for producing films like Blade Runner, has never been a great admirer of superhero movies, despite how popular they are among everyone nowadays. His skepticism about superheroes is, however, eased by Joaquin Phoenix‘s portrayal of the Joker in the $1 billion movie Joker. But there is still one thing about the movie that the director did not like.
Scott recently spoke at Deadline‘s Contenders London event where he acknowledged his worries about the movie’s celebration of violence while simultaneously praising Phoenix for his outstanding performance as the Joker character. Scott said, “I was blown away by his outrageous film Joker.” He further added, “I didn’t like the way it celebrated violence but Joaquin was remarkable.”
Still, he recognized Phoenix’s remarkable talent and believed he would be a valuable asset for his upcoming historical epic, Napoleon, both creatively and commercially.
Joaquin Phoenix’s ability to portray “damaged” characters makes him ideal for Napoleon, says Ridley Scott
The renowned filmmaker Ridley Scott was very respectful of Joaquin Phoenix while talking about their work together on the impending historical epic Napoleon. Scott pointed out that, from both a creative and a business standpoint, he thought Phoenix was a huge value to the project. He expressed his affection for the actor openly, showing that he had a clear idea of what the part should look like and that he thought Phoenix was the ideal candidate.
It’s interesting that Scott said he only had two people in mind for the part of Napoleon, though he wouldn’t say who the second actor was. Scott also provided an insight into how they got along while working together, recalling a time when Phoenix voiced hesitance about the part. In response, they engaged in a rigorous 10-day rehearsal phase during which they methodically went over every element of the character and the movie. Scott felt that Phoenix was the perfect choice to play Napoleon because of his talent for portraying complicated, “damaged” characters.
On November 22, Napoleon is set for release; following its theatrical run, it will be available on AppleTV+.
Read More: DC’s Joker Star, Joaquin Phoenix, Almost Played Two Different Avengers in the MCU
Source: Deadline
