Joker Movie Doesn't "Follow Anything From The Comic Books," Todd Phillips Says

The upcoming Joker movie is based on one of the most recognizable comic book characters, but don't expect it to retell any stories from the comic. In fact, the film itself doesn't borrow much at all from the source material, it seems. Director Todd Phillips said in an interview with Empire that the movie doesn't follow "anything" from the comic books. And yes, he knows that's going to upset a group of fans who place a high value on that.

"We didn't follow anything from the comic books, which people are gonna be mad about," Phillips, who also wrote the script, said in the interview. "We just wrote our own version of where a guy like Joker might come from. That's what was interesting to me. We're not even doing Joker, but the story of becoming Joker. It's about this man."

Empire also published a new photo of Joaquin Phoenix, in which he can be seen applying his Joker makeup. You can see that below.

Pretty much every movie based on comic book characters varies in part from the source material, but it's interesting to hear Phillips say Joker will stray even further and that he anticipates some amount of blowback. The movie is an origin story of sorts, but beyond that, the plot details are under wraps.

• The Real Origin Story Of The Joker, DC's Most Misunderstood Villain

Phoenix , a three-time Oscar nominee, plays Arthur Fleck / The Joker in the upcoming film. The movie also stars Robert de Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Frances Conroy.

Joker opens in theatres on October 4. It's something of a change for Phillips, who previously made the Hangover and Old School comedies. He also wrote for Borat, which earned him his Oscar nomination.