Willem Dafoe Wants To Play An Imposter Of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker

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Willem Dafoe has revealed that he "fantasized" about playing an imposter version of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. Dafoe is known amongst Spider-Man fans all across the world as the face behind the Green Goblin in Sam Rami’s 2002 adaptation of Spider-Man. The actor recently reprised his role as the villain in the hugely successful Spider-Man: No Way Home, and his performance was singled out for particular praise from critics and fans alike.

 

Spider-Man: No Way Home has become the most financially successful comic-book film since the release of the Joaquin Phoenix-led Joker back in late 2019, directed by Todd Phillips. The film was praised for its grittiness, comic-accurate depiction of Gotham city, and the acting of its lead, Phoenix, who went on to win the year’s Academy Award for Best Actor. Joker was conceived as a standalone film that did not connect to the wider DC Extended Universe. However, due to its surprising commercial success, demand for a Joker 2 sequel movie has been growing. If it were to happen, many fans hope Phillips would again be writing the script, and that Phoenix would return to reprise his Joker role.

 

Now, in an interview with GQ, Dafoe has made some comments about a potential Joker sequel that could get fans excited. The actor was asked to reflect on whether or not he’d ever play the character, after years of being told he is a great fit for the role. Dafoe responded that he would love to play the part, and even has ideas for how he could fit into a sequel to Phoenix's Joker and portray the Clown Prince of Crime alongside him. Check out Dafoe’s comments below: 

 

“There is something interesting about, like, if there was a Joker imposter. So it would be possible to have not dueling Jokers but someone that says to be the Joker that isn't the Joker. And that kind of opens up the possibility of an interesting story, particularly if you had Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, and then you had someone who was either imitating or riffing off what he did. I fantasised about that. But other than that I am not talking to anybody [about it], you're the first one.” 

 

Dafoe's comments will be music to the ears of fans who have been fan-casting the actor as Batman’s arch-nemesis for years. What's more, after his fantastic portrayal as the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the actor will have reminded any doubters of his ability to portray a menacing and unhinged villain so many years after the original Spider-Man. Dafoe’s willingness to portray the character aside, his idea for a Joker movie involving a copy-cat villain is also something that will intrigue fans, and certainly would be an interesting premise on which to base a potential Joker 2.

The actor’s Joker pitch will no doubt fuel hype and speculation about the sequel, with many fans likely keen to see Dafoe appear as his "imposter" Joker. Now that his ideas are out in the open, if Dafoe never gets the chance to play the Joker, it will be regarded as a massive missed opportunity. However, fans shouldn’t despair if the actor isn’t in a Phoenix-led follow-up, as it's possible that his unique ideas for a Joker movie may be picked up by another brave filmmaker.

 

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