Whoa! Big news out of DC land. Deadline reports that Warner Bros. and DC Films are in the early stages of developing new Joker origin story as their latest expansion of the Batman universe and they've brought some heavy-hitters aboard including Martin Scorsese. Holy shit. The Hangover and War Dogs helmer Todd Phillips is set to direct and co-write the script with The Fighter screenwriter Scott Silver. Scorsese will produce with Phillips.

The film is intended to launch a yet-to-be-named new banner at Warner Bros., which will expand the universe of DC films to create new storylines with different actors playing the beloved characters. The Joker origin story is said to be separate from the previous film incarnations, which means Jared Leto will not take on the role for this iteration of the character. Per the report, he's set to reprise the role in the Suicide Squad sequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff, but the origin story will see a new, possibly younger actor take on the role of the iconic comic book villain.

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Image via Warner Bros.

And it get's more interesting! Per the report, "The intention is to make a gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy." Phillips and Silver have already started writing the script, but there's no word on how this new incarnation and the new film banner will fit in with the existing DC schedule.

OK, now that my shock has worn off from seeing Batman and Martin Scorsese occupy the same sentence, let's talk about this. I'm not so sure that the Joker really needs an origin story, that's part of his appeal right? And if we've learned anything from Ridley Scott's Alien prequels it's that no one wants to investigate the DNA of a brilliant monster. That said, this is just impossible not to get excited about. I'm not exactly singing a unique tune here, but I wasn't crazy about what Leto did with the role or his general direction as a character in Suicide Squad so the idea of a new incarnation and the opportunity to see a new actor take on the role is really thrilling. And I repeat: Martin freaking Scorsese.

What do you guys think? Who would you like to see in the role? Sound off in the comments.

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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Paramount
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Image via DC Comics