If Heath Ledger brought a simmering manic quality to his Oscar-winning performance as Joker in The Dark Knight, Joaquin Phoenix expertly peeled the various layers of the complex DC villain through an intense and emotional performance in Joker. This portrayal which was raw and immersive, won him all the awards that year, including the coveted Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards.
While Phoenix’s Joker is an integral part of the DC universe, the actor has refrained from accepting mainstream roles in superhero films in the MCU and the DCEU despite being offered the opportunity. The Walk the Line star was rumored to have been in line to play Dr Strange, but reportedly let go of the marquee gig as he felt that these films would not allow him to focus on the deeper nuances of acting and performance.
Here’s Why Joaquin Phoenix Never Became An MCU Or DCEU Star
With an impressive repertoire of films in a gamut of genres, Joaquin Phoenix has proved that he is one of the true actors of his generation. The Oscar winner has consistently moved off the beaten path by choosing complex and challenging roles that have showcased his versatility as an artist. While his pinnacle performance came with his towering yet vulnerable portrayal of Joker, Phoenix has consciously stayed away from mainstream superhero films.
According to reports, the Her star was offered the key part of Dr Strange by Marvel Studios which he went on to decline. In an interview that appeared in Collider, Phoenix spoke about the reasons behind his reluctance to star in superhero films despite playing a supervillain himself. While he did not refer directly to Dr Strange, the celebrity stated that his vision for a character did not match the aesthetics required for commercial films.
“There were too many requirements that went against my instincts for character. I’ve been spoiled. I’ve never had to make those compromises. I’ve not met a director yet with one of those films where we go through the script, they say: ‘You know what, f**k this set-piece, let’s focus on the character!’ I understand, but it’s best I don’t do it”
Phoenix went on to clarify that he was a huge fan of blockbuster films and enjoyed watching them at any given opportunity, but somehow couldn’t see himself fitting into that genre seamlessly.
Joaquin Phoenix On Comic Book Adaptations
Joaquin Phoenix’s powerful Oscar winning portrayal of the titular protagonist in 2019’s Joker is still being remembered as one of the memorable lead performances by an actor. Phoenix played the unhinged DC villain with a heart- wrenching vulnerability that added huge emotional heft to the character. The Gladiator star’s effort is even more praiseworthy considering the fact that he had extremely big shoes to fill with Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of Joker already etched in people’s mind.
In an interview with Collider, before he was officially on board to play Joker, Phoenix was asked about the pressure and expectation of reinventing a comic book character that was already made memorable by someone else. The Beau is Afraid actor though, welcomed the opportunity with an open mind.
“There are different interpretations. It’s so interesting. I think that genre, comic books, kind of lends itself to having different people play the same character and interpret it in a different way. It’s kind of built into the source material in some ways. I think it’s cool when people do that.”
As it turned out, Phoenix’s wholesome approach worked wonders for him, with his performance as Joker being hailed as one of the most unique portrayals of a comic book villain.
