Here's Why Martin Scorsese Could Not Direct 'Joker'

Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has revealed that he considered being a part of the movie “Joker” for almost four years before walking away from the project.

In an interview with the BBC, the Academy Award-winning director admitted that he seriously gave a thought of being involved in the project but decided to leave because he did not have the time or the inclination to make a film whose leading figure ends up being a “comic-book character.”

Interestingly, when it was first reported that Todd Phillips is coming out with a new take on the clown prince of Gotham, the “Wolf Of Wall Street” helmer was named as one of the producers. As time passed by, Scorsese’s name was nowhere to be seen on the list of producers, instead one of his close friends and the producer of his three movies – “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Silence,” and “The Irishman” – ended up being the producer for “Joker.”

“I decided that I did not have the time for it. Todd told me, ‘Marty, this is yours,’ and [I said], ‘I don’t know if I want to,’” Scorsese said.

The “Silence” helmer also noted that due to some “personal reasons” he was unable to join the project which is all set to become the first R-rated movie to touch the $1 billion mark at the global box office.

Fans around the world did not call “Joker” a typical superhero movie, but a movie that tells a lot about the real world. The 76-year-old echoed the same sentiment and shared that the Todd Phillips-directed project was quite different from the regular superhero stuff that the whole world sees.

The director went on to praise Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the diabolical clown and noted that his acting took this movie from great to a “remarkable.”

Meanwhile, “Joker” continues to rake in big numbers even in its fifth week. The movie laughed its way to earn more than $35 million in international markets. The film has accumulated over $634.4 million at the global box office, taking its tally to a staggering $934 million. The most impressive feat about the earnings that the movie has is that it has not been released in China.

In related news, Scorsese is busy promoting his upcoming movie “The Irishman.” The movie received universal acclaim from the critics, calling it “Scorsese’s latest masterpiece.” The film stars Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in leading roles and was made available for streaming on Nov. 1 on Netflix.