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Joaquin Phoenix's Joker origin movie gets a title and a 2019 release date

Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker is coming to theaters in 2019.

On Wednesday, Warner Bros. gave the DC Comics film a release date of Oct. 4, 2019, and a title. The dark character study of the ultimate archvillain shall be called, wait for it ... "Joker."

"Hangover" director Todd Phillips co-wrote and will direct the film centering around Batman's iconic arch nemesis.

It was a year ago at Comic-Con 2017 that news of the project surfaced and was widely criticized by comic-book fans on social media, who argued that the Joker film world is oversaturated.

Warner Bros. has gone to pains to point out that this project will be different. The studio called the new film an "original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen" in a news release last week.

"Phillips’ exploration of a man disregarded by society is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale," the release said.

Production begins on the film later this year.

The "Joker" news arrived on the 10-year anniversary of the release of Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." Heath Ledger's performance in that film redefined the villainous role and earned him an Oscar.