Let’s put a smile on that face! You’ve probably already seen the Joker movie trailer that launched this week, but have you missed out on one of its biggest secrets? That’s right, the Clown Prince of Crime (as he’s soon to be known) actually faces down Bruce Wayne in a blink-and-you’ll miss it cameo, which proves that Batman is always, always lurking in the shadows.
The Joker trailer tells you to put on a happy face towards the tail-end of its debut but, sandwiched in-between the quickfire words from 1:45 in the video above is Arthur Fleck (AKA The Joker) stretching a smile onto the face of a young boy, who looks less than pleased to be doing so. It’s dark and gross – but it’s probably going to lead to Joker being beaten up a LOT in the future.
Because that boy is Bruce Wayne. Yup. The Hollywood Reporter revealed back in late 2018 that a young Bruce Wayne has been cast and, wouldn’t you just know it, that’s the same actor who appears behind the bars. It’s an even more creepy and compelling shot now we know what we know, and one that will obviously play into the dynamic of the movie.
He’s not the only Wayne to make an appearance, either. Bruce’s father, Thomas, can be seen on the television screen that Joker watches during the trailer. While this is mainly a Joker origin story – set sometime during the ‘80s which probably makes Joker super old by the time Batman puts on his cowl for the first time – it’s clear that the Waynes and the city Gotham will operate on the fringes of the tale of a clown turned mad.
So, not only will October mark the start of Joker’s origin, we’ll also get a glimpse of young Master Wayne and how he grew up in Gotham before becoming the Caped Crusader. Just don’t expect the two to engage in a bout of fisticuffs. That’d be weird.
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