After adding Emmy nominated actress Zazie Beets, and entering negotiations with Robert Deniro, The Wrap is reporting that Golden Globe winner Frances Conroy is in talks to join Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker movie.
Conroy will reportedly play the Joker’s mother “Penny” in the film loosely based on Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke. It was previously reported that Frances McDormand was the studio’s first choice for the role, but that the Three Billboard’s Outside Ebbing Missouri Oscar winner turned it down.
This will not be Conroy’s first entry in the world of DC Comics. She previously voiced Martha Kent in 2011’s All Star Superman and 2013’s Superman: Unbound, as well as having played Halle Berry’s mentor, Ophelia Powers in 2004’s Catwoman. Recently, she appeared in the newest season of American Horror Story where she played a variety of roles and HBO’s The Tale where she played the older version of a predatory horseback riding coach.
Although Warner Brothers is still moving forward with a Jared Leto starring Joker film, Phoenix’s Joker has already gotten the official green light. Written by Scott Silver (The Fighter) and directed by Todd Philips (The Hangover), the film is unique for superhero genre in its relatively small 55-million-dollar budget. Considering the rave reviews Phoenix is getting for his role as a violent veteran in the gritty You Were Never Really Here, adding big name veteran actors like Deniro and Conroy is sure to give the film a unique buzz in an increasingly over-saturated market.
Joker is set to begin filming this September, with a release date of October 4th 2019.
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