With Joaquin Phoenix set to return for the highly anticipated Joker 2 after breaking records with the first film, fans are engrossed to witness how the story unfolds in the sequel. However, before Phoenix landed the role of Joker in the DC universe under the leadership of Todd Phillips and delivered one of his best performances, the actor was once considered to star in the MCU.
Following The Master star’s decision to turn down MCU roles, which reportedly involved the role of Hulk and Dr. Strange, many fans speculated that it might have to deal with his love for more artistic projects. But it seems that wasn’t the case as Phoenix later opened up about his actual reasoning behind the decision to leave himself out from Marvel and shared his perspective on MCU’s accomplishments.
Joaquin Phoenix’s explained his reasoning behind turning down MCU roles
Although Joaquin Phoenix is known for involving himself in more artistic projects with no corporate influence but turning the opportunity to star in the MCU didn’t have to deal with the actor’s creative choices. The Joker star once opened up about his reasoning for turning down several MCU roles, as he explained that the pressure of being attached to a major franchise wasn’t his cup of tea. But despite his differences, he still holds immense respect for the franchise and commended MCU’s impact on the industry. He stated,
“I think that everybody was, is… I’m trying to figure out how to say this most diplomatically, okay… I think everybody was really happy with how things turned out. All parties were satisfied. I think they make some great, fun movies. There’s nothing wrong… I’m not a f***ing, like, cinephile. I’m not a snob and I’m totally fine with… I enjoy those movies sometimes, and I think they keep the f***ing industry going in some ways”
Although his hesitancy in joining a major franchise might have led to him letting the opportunity to star in the MCU slide, however, this eventually resulted in the actor’s inclusion in DC’s Joker. Considering that Todd Phillips’ Joker was set in its own reality, Phoenix had no problem working on Phillips’ vision for the character but setting his first step in the comic book realm wasn’t easy for the actor.
The fear that arrived with the role of Joker motivated Joaquin Phoenix to deliver his best performance
Before making his comic book debut as one of the most iconic villains in pop culture, Joaquin Phoenix expressed that he was nervous about taking his first step in the realm of comic books. However, the actor clarified that the fear that arrived with the role further motivated him to deliver one of his best performances on the big screen, which would ultimately result in the actor’s first Oscar win. The actor explained his reasoning by stating,
“There was a lot of fear, yeah. But I always say there’s motivating fear and debilitating fear. There’s the fear where you cannot make a f***ing step, and there’s the kind where it’s like, ‘OK, what do we do? That’s not good enough.’ And you’re digging deeper and deeper. I love that kind of fear. It guides us, makes us work harder.”
Even though it would have been cool to witness Phoenix’s take on Dr. Strange, considering that it eventually resulted in him taking the role of Joker, things seem to work out well for everyone.
Joker is available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: Female First
