Warning! This article contains spoilers for Joker: Folie a DeuxThe Dark Knight trilogy director Christopher Nolan reportedly had Warner Bros. change Joker has been brought to live-action several times, each time very different from the last. Still, Heath Ledger's Joker portrayal remains the most popular sixteen years after The Dark Knight's release, and his scarred face decorated with military make-up continues to be his most distinctive feature.

Following Joker: Folie à deux's release, Joker: Folie à Deux's ending features a second Joker carving a smile on his face with a blade after killing Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck.

What Chris Nolan’s Joker Ending Change Means

Christopher Nolan Had A Lot Of Influence On Warner Bros. In 2019

Todd Phillips' first Joker movie has been praised for the director's auteur vision. Unlike most live-action comic book adaptations, Joker is a standalone film that prioritizes its character-driven narrative and doesn't reflect any trends from the superhero genre. Yet, as reports suggest, director Todd Phillips didn't have complete creative control. Christopher Nolan had made eight movies with Warner Bros. at the time, which likely granted him a considerable amount of influence on the studios' projects. Naturally, Nolan's acclaimed work on The Dark Knight may have allowed him to have a say in Joker's ending.

Our Take On The Original Joker Ending Change

Comparisons Between Joaquin Phoenix's And Heath Ledger's Jokers Were Always Inevitable

Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix as different Jokers in The Dark Knight and Joker Folie à Deux
Custom Image by Kai Young

The fact that Joker: Folie à Deux ends with a new Joker carving a smile on his face makes Christopher Nolan's departure from Warner Bros. more evident. Nolan parted ways with Warner Bros. in 2021 due to the studio's approach to film releases, as Warner Bros. began sending new films to streaming before they had a chance to pick up speed in theaters during the pandemic. Nolan went on to succeed at Universal with Oppenheimer, but he probably lost the influence on Warner Bros. that gave him a say in films like Joker.

Connor Storrie as Anthony looking serious and Joker being manhandled in Joker Folie a Deux
Related
Who Plays The Young Inmate At The End Of Joker 2

Joker: Folie à Deux contains a pivotal scene in which a young inmate plays a central role, begging the question of who this up-and-coming actor is.

Regardless of Christopher Nolan's influence on Joker, comparisons between Joaquin Phoenix and Heath Ledger's Joker portrayals were likely unavoidable from the start. Both takes on the Clown Prince of Crime are gritty, grounded, and heavily centered around the character's complex psyche. Joker's original ending would have caused much more controversial comparisons to The Dark Knight in its sequel, however, as Phoenix's Joker would have sported the same scars as Ledger's throughout the film. Still, Nolan's changes to Joker didn't avoid parallels, Joker: Folie à Deux's ending could be read as the origin story of Heath Ledger's Joker by some viewers.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Joker Movie Poster

    Your Rating

    Rate Now
    Joker
    R
    Superhero
    Action
    Adventure
    Crime
    Film Noir
    Thriller
    5/10
    29
    8.4/10
    Release Date
    October 2, 2019
    Runtime
    122 minutes
    Director
    Todd Phillips

    Cast

    See All

    WHERE TO WATCH

    Streaming
    RENT
    BUY

  • The Dark Knight (2008) Movie Poster
    The Dark Knight
    9.0/10
    Created by
    Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
    First Film
    Batman Begins
    Latest Film
    The Dark Knight Rises
    Cast
    Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Liam Neeson, Aaron Eckhart
    Movie(s)
    Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises
    Character(s)
    Batman, Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner Gordon, Lucius Fox, Bane, The Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face