Such a premise naturally invokes memories of Alan Moore’s 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, which similarly presented a possible origin for The Joker by showing him as a failed stand-up who goes insane after “one bad day” ruins his life and ends with him accidentally taking a dip in acid at ACE Chemicals, as seen below.
According to a new report from The Wrap, it sounds like Todd Philips’ Joker origin movie is aiming to frame the comic book bad guy with a somewhat tragic past.
Specifically, this report states that The Clown Prince of Crime will be a failed 1980s comedian and that he will turn to a life of crime sometime after bombing with an audience.