It is hard to imagine someone turning down a huge role in Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it was no strange thing to Joaquin Phoenix. The Joker actor has been one of the most celebrated actors of recent times.
Phoenix’s movies are arguably loaded with intrinsic depth. He is among the actors who immerse in the characters for maximum emotion to bring it to the screen. But it is undoubtedly shocking for many when he rejected the MCU role in one of the biggest franchises of the studio.
Also read: “I’m guilty”: Oscar Winning DC Star Joaquin Phoenix Hates His Own Method Acting
Joaquin Phoenix Gave Up Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange is MCU’s one of the biggest superhero franchises, the two movies in the franchise collectively earned $1.6 billion worldwide. As per Collider, Joaquin Phoenix was in the mix of the race for the lead role in the film while Benedict Cumberbatch was having scheduling conflicts with Sherlock. Phoenix was among the contenders, Tom Hardy, Ryan Gosling, and Jared Leto. But Phoenix pulled out as he was not comfortable with the big superhero that involved a lot of demands and press commitments.
“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*ck this set-piece, let’s focus on the character!’ I understand, but it’s best I don’t do it.,” Phoenix said.
Fair enough, the actor insisted that he was “just trying to find what works” for him. He did not regret giving up the role either. “I think they [MCU] make some great, fun movies. There’s nothing wrong,” Phoenix said once.
“I’m not a snob and I’m totally fine with… I enjoy those movies sometimes, and I think they keep the f*cking industry going in some ways, so I don’t have a problem with it at all.”
But the actor later went on to become DC’s one of the most iconic villains in Todd Phillips’ movie centering on the character, Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix Played Arthur Fleck in Joker
Phoenix’s portrayal of Joker has been remarkably astonishing. The 2019 movie grossed over $953 million at the global box office against the production budget of $62.5 million. A huge success, indeed. Although the actor rejected the Doctor Strange role, Phoenix has been a comic book fan growing up. But preparing for the iconic comic book villain was not easy.
“When we were prepping for [Joker], I felt very frustrated because I couldn’t lock on anything that felt like a foundation for the character. And at some point, I realized that was the (expletive) point. He was unstable. It’s shaky ground as an actor. I enjoy not knowing precisely what a character may do, but you want to have like a couple moments that you feel solid about. And that never really happened. We just became very comfortable with not knowing,” Phoenix said.
Notably, the success of Joker is not just commercial, Phoenix’s performance in the film was groundbreaking as he went up to win an Oscar for Best Performance in a Leading Role at the 92nd Academy Award.
Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck will return to the theaters with Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn on 4 October 2024 with the sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux in Todd Phillips’ DC Universe.
Source: Showbiz CheatSheet
