Film guide
- Crime
- Thriller
- Drama
- Psychological thriller
- Stars
- Joaquin Phoenix · Robert De Niro · Zazie Beetz
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to watch Joker
Joker streams on HBO Max in the US, included with any subscription. It is not available to rent or buy on the platform.
Streaming options in the United States, updated Sep 26, 2026. More from hbomax.com. Service logos are trademarks of their owners.
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A standalone character drama, not a Batman movie
Joker has nothing to do with The Batman, the DC Extended Universe, or any shared DC continuity. Todd Phillips built it as a self-contained character study loosely inspired by Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, using Batman mythology as scaffolding rather than as a franchise entry. Arthur Fleck is a failed party clown and aspiring stand-up comedian in a decaying Gotham, and the film follows his isolation and mistreatment rather than any costumed-hero plot.
Joaquin Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role, and the film’s R rating is earned: this is a grounded, often bleak drama about mental illness and violence, not the more stylized tone of The Batman or the DC Universe films Warner Bros. and DC Studios have made since. If you came here expecting a superhero movie, this is the one Batman-adjacent film on our shelf that most deliberately is not one.
A direct sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, followed in 2024 with Lady Gaga joining Phoenix; it continues Arthur’s story rather than starting a new one, so this film is still the place to start. The production record has the full cast and release history. For the character’s other, unconnected screen life, our Batman guide covers the DC Universe continuity this film has no relationship to, and our watch guides hub tracks everything else we cover by release date.
Joker cast 12
Joaquin PhoenixArthur Fleck / Joker
Robert De NiroMaurice "Murray" Franklin
Zazie BeetzSophie Dumond
Frances ConroyPenny Fleck
Brett CullenThomas Wayne- Douglas HodgeAlfred Pennyworth
- Dante Pereira-OlsonBruce Wayne, Thomas's and Martha's son
Marc MaronGene Ufland
Sharon WashingtonDebra Kane, Arthur's social worker
Josh PaisHoyt Vaughn, Arthur's agent
Brian Tyree HenryClark- Frank WoodDr. Benjamin Stoner, Penny Fleck's former therapist
- Director
- Todd Phillips
- Writers
- Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
- Music
- Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Films, Village Roadshow Pictures, Bron Creative, Joint Effort
Photos via Wikimedia Commons. Joaquin Phoenix: Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 3.0; Robert De Niro: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0; Zazie Beetz: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0; Frances Conroy: iDominick, CC BY-SA 2.0; Brett Cullen: Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0; Marc Maron: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0; Sharon Washington: Bryan Berlin, CC BY 4.0; Josh Pais: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Brian Tyree Henry: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Joker trivia 3
- Development
Todd Phillips had been offered to direct comic-based films a number of times before Joker, but declined because he thought they were "loud" and did not interest him. Source
- Filming
Filming in Newark ran from October 13 to October 16, 2018. Shortly before it, SAG-AFTRA received a complaint that extras had been locked in subway cars for more than three hours during filming in Brooklyn, a break violation. Source
- Release
Warner Bros. gave Joker a limited theatrical release in converted 70mm and 35mm film presentations. Source
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch Joker?
Joker streams on HBO Max in the US with any subscription, checked September 26, 2026.
Is Joker connected to The Batman or the DC Universe?
No. It is a standalone film outside both the DC Extended Universe and the newer DC Universe continuity that produced The Batman.
Is there a Joker sequel?
Yes. Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), also directed by Todd Phillips, is a direct sequel with Lady Gaga joining Joaquin Phoenix.
When did Joker come out?
October 4, 2019.
How long is Joker?
122 minutes.
Why is Joker rated R?
For strong violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual content; it is a character drama, not a conventional superhero action film.
