Joaquin Phoenix pictured in full Joker costume as Gotham City criminal terrifies New York commuters
Joaquin Phoenix terrified commuters as he filmed scenes for upcoming movie Joker on a busy New York subway.
The US actor – who will play the Gotham City villain in the movie - waltzed off the packed train as commuters ran around on the platform, causing a riot.
Pictures show Phoenix’s incarnation of the character, imagined by director Todd Phillips, in full circus-style clown make-up with green hair.
The new pictures come just days after a teaser trailer revealed The Joker’s style in a terrifying first look at Phoenix transforming into his criminal mastermind alter ego.
Phillips had previously revealed that the standalone film would tell the story of The Joker, real name Arthur Fleck, as a failed 1980’s comedian who turns to “crime and chaos”.
Produced by filmmaking icon Martin Scorsese, the movie is slated for release in October 2019.
The Joker also stars Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Marc Maron.
Alec Baldwin, who had been confirmed to play Batman’s father last month, dropped out of the film just two days after he was announced due to “scheduling issues”.
He told USA Today: “I'm no longer doing that movie. I'm sure there are 25 guys who can play that part.”
The role of the joker has been inhabited by a number of actors over the years, including Jack Nicholson in 1989’s Batman and Heath Ledger in 2008’s The Dark Knight, for which he won a posthumous Oscar.
Most recently, Jared Leto held the role of Batman’s nemesis in 2016 film Suicide Squad.
Joker will be released on October 4 2019.
