Joker Trailer: Joaquin Phoenix Becomes the Clown Prince of Crime

Watch the official Joker teaser trailer, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy and Brian Tyree Henry.

A failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and becomes a psychopathic murderer.

Joker centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen. Phillips' exploration of Arthur Fleck (Phoenix), a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.

"Joker" is a gritty hard-boiled crime film set in an early-'80s Gotham City meant to evoke the grounded feel of Scorsese's films like "Taxi Driver." The story centers on how the popular comic book villain, known as "The Joker," became The Clown Prince of Crime in Gotham City. It will be the first film under a Warner Bros./DC's "Elseworlds," which will expand the canon of DC Comics properties and create unique storylines with different actors playing the characters.