Joaquin Phoenix says his favourite Joker scene was cut

Joker
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

With the impending release of the Joker movie later this week, actor Joaquin Phoenix has revealed that his favourite scene featuring his turn as the Clown Prince of Crime didn’t make it into the finished product.

Minor spoilers for Joker follow.

Speaking to AP News, Phoenix revealed his “favourite scene, what both [himself and director Todd Phillips] thought was my best scene because of a particular take, that scene is not in the movie.”

Phoenix didn’t say what the scene in question was – perhaps we could see it on a future home release – though did clarify why it was cut: “It’s a cliche, but it’s a puzzle. So you take out this scene and it affects the following scene. So a take that might have been really great no longer works.”

Those creative choices even extended to scenes Phoenix was personally dissatisfied with, as he outlines how “The best take for the end of [Arthur’s] rant on Murray Franklin [Robert De Niro] just didn’t work. It was a really good take just on its own but cut in with everything else it just didn’t work. An earlier take, one that I didn’t think was very good, was the one that worked best.”

So, picture this: somewhere out there is a Joker movie that goes in a completely different direction and involves what Joaquin Phoenix thinks is his best scene in a movie already filled with performances that sister publication Total Film called “Oscar-worthy.” That’s just not funny.

Prepare for Joker with our look at the best superhero movies ever made.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Latest in DC Movies
The cast of Suicide Squad (2016)
David Ayer admits James Gunn has good reason not to release his cut of Suicide Squad, but he remains hopeful it'll happen
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Ben Affleck reflects on the "excruciating experience" playing Batman in the Zack Snyder movies: "A lot of it was misalignment of agendas, understandings, expectations"
James Gunn
James Gunn reacts to Jason Momoa almost spoiling his Lobo costume in an interview: "I just want to profoundly thank Jason’s publicist"
Jason Momoa next to Lobo
Jason Momoa has gone method taking on the role of Lobo: "I asked everybody to call me by my character's name"
Batgirl movie
Unearthed Daredevil-like fight scene from DC's canceled Batgirl movie gives us a taste of what we could have had
Jason Momoa in A Minecraft Movie
Jason Momoa says the DCU's Lobo is "exactly like" the comic book character in upcoming Supergirl movie
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2 controller slot
Best Buy just confirmed the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date, and there's only days left to wait
WandaVision episode 8
Robert Downey Jr's WandaVision Easter egg in the Avengers: Doomsday announcement has me thinking Scarlet Witch will be in the movie after all
Mario & Luigi: Brothership trailer still
"They are really feelin' the pressure": Former Nintendo staff think today's Direct, just 6 days before the Switch 2 Direct is a "bad idea strategically"
channing tatum gambit in deadpool and wolverine
Marvel fans are hoping Channing Tatum's Gambit return in Avengers: Doomsday will be different from Deadpool and Wolverine
Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive uses magic in closeup screenshot
Despite fans begging for Tifa, Final Fantasy 16's Clive is "significantly more popular" than any other Tekken guest fighter
Spider-Man 4
There might be an obvious reason why Tom Holland's Spider-Man wasn't announced for Avengers: Doomsday