Joker Director Todd Phillips Says He Would Love to See a Batman Film Set in His Gotham

The movie Joker came out this year to extremely divided reviews. It was an origin story centered around the demented villain that made him seem more realistic than ever. It stirred up conflict among those who were concerned about the mental health aspect of the portrayal, and fans of the film were happy with the unexpected and unsettling elements. After the acclaim, director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix had discussions about a possible sequel, and that still seems to be a possibility, but nothing is set in stone for now. But Phillips did say he would love to see a Batman film set in the Gotham City he created.

Phillips told Variety’s Marc Malkin at the Palm Springs International Film Festival:

“It’s a beautiful Gotham. What I would like to see someone tackle is what Batman looks like from that Gotham.

I wasn’t a fan of Joker for a variety of reasons, but I did think the setting Phillips created in Gotham City was very realistic and gritty and interesting. He went on to clarify that while he would be interested in seeing that movie, he is not interested in being the director who makes it.

“I’m not saying I’m going to do that. What was interesting to me about the inclusion of Batman in our movie was, ‘What kind of Batman does that Gotham make?’ That’s all I meant by that.”

He also commented on the state of the sequel that has been a buzzed about rumor since the opening of the film.

“This time I spent with Joaquin here, driving over last night, was the first time we hung out for a while, and we weren’t talking about [a sequel]. We both have the same kind of mandate, so we’ll see.”

He added, of the film’s success:

“The truth is we never knew it, honestly. Joaquin and I were operating at a place where we kept thinking, ‘Let’s just make something that doesn’t end our careers,'” Phillips said. “We didn’t have any thought it could actually be good. We were blinded by the movie somehow; this was a weird one.”

I respect filmmakers that set out to tell a story, and don’t get caught up in the success of it. If he wanted to, he could crank out another money maker just for the sake of the cash, but he is holding himself to a higher standard, and that’s pretty awesome.

Would you like to see a Batman set in Todd Phillips’ sGotham City?