Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’ Receives 8-Minute Standing Ovation After Venice Premiere

Todd Phillips’ highly-anticipated Joker origin film starring the enigmatic Joaquin Phoenix premiered over the weekend at the Venice Film Festival and received an eight-minute standing ovation after critics were beyond impressed with the story the two were able to tell about Batman’s arch-villain.

According to Variety, Phoenix and Phillips were joined in the Sala Grande by Zazie Beetz, who also stars in the film as Phoenix’s character’s neighbor and love interest. Robert De Niro, who plays a talk-show host in the film, was not in attendance at the Lido.

Buzz about the Warner Bros. movie had been growing ever since its announcement, but more recently after it was revealed as part of the lineup for Venice and the final official trailer dropped. Both press screenings of the film were packed and positive reviews have been flowing online. The second press screening drew loud applause at the end and cheers when Phoenix’s name appeared in the closing credits.

While the film is part of the DC Comics universe, it takes a very different form, standing alone as a humanized origin story without any appearances by Batman or other superheroes. It has already been getting awards consideration.

Phoenix plays character Arthur Fleck, a mentally troubled aspiring clown who transforms into an icon of violent nihilism. The actor claimed earlier Saturday that previous versions of the role, including Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn in The Dark Knight nearly a decade ago, did not influence him for this film.

“I didn’t refer to any past iteration of the character,” Phoenix said. “It just felt like something that was our creation in some ways.”

Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera was so impressed by Joker that he claimed the film is headed “straight to the Oscars.”

After Venice, Joker heads to Toronto for another festival appearance. The film will premiere to the public in the U.S. on October 4. You can check out the trailer for the film above.

Michael is a music and television junkie keen on most things that are not a complete and total bore. You can follow him on Twitter — @Tweetskoor