It has just been announced that Alec Baldwin will be playing the part of Batman’s father Thomas Wayne in the upcoming Joker origin film.
However, it has now been revealed by reporter Jeff Sneider that this is the role that was initially offered to Viggo Mortensen, which the former Lord of the Rings star ultimately turned down. Sneider also explained that the fabled Wayne Manor would also be a location in the film, which is sure to generate speculation around just how involved the Wayne family will be in this version of the Crown Prince of Crime’s origin.
BREAKING: Alec Baldwin to play Thomas Wayne in the JOKER movie. This is the role that Viggo Mortensen passed on. I'm told that Wayne Manor will be a location in the film. The plot thickens…
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) August 27, 2018
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In the original DC comics, Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered in Crime Alley by a mugger named Joe Chill, which became the catalyst for their son Bruce’s rise as Batman. However, it is also worth mentioning that in Tim Burton’s Batman, this origin was reworked to make Thomas and Martha’s killer a young Joker (aka Jack Napier.)
Whether or not the Joker origin film will take cues from Burton’s interpretation of the character is unknown at this time, but the fact remains that he will likely cross paths with the Waynes in some form or fashion. DC has also played around with both The Joker’s origin and the murder of Bruce’s parents several times over the years (such as in Batman: The Telltale Series or the aforementioned Tim Burton film), meaning there’s also plenty of room for yet another new take on it all.
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Directed and co-written by Todd Phillips, the yet-to-be-titled Joker movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character, along with Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Marc Maron, Frances Conroy and Zazie Beetz. The film has a scheduled release date of Oct. 4, 2019.