Joker Final Trailer Breakdown: 13 Last Minute Story Reveals

The final trailer for Warner Bros. and DC Films’ Joker movie has arrived, so let’s breakdown the latest story reveals. After several interpretations of the Clown Prince of Crime on the big screen, Joaquin Phoenix will star in a unique approach to the iconic Batman foe. Joker is directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover), but he has cautioned DC fans that his movie is not sticking true to the source material and is telling its own story instead.

Still, many have been fascinated by the prospects of a Joker origin movie, especially one that is entirely standalone and not connected to WB’s shared universe. Anticipation for the film kicked up with the casting of Phoenix – a three-time Oscar-nominee – but then the beginning of the marketing campaign really drove interest. The first Joker trailer teased a movie that is unlike any other “comic book movie” that has been released, with Joker focused on telling a tragic, character-driven story on how Arthur Fleck becomes the Joker.

The footage from the latest Joker trailer and those involved have made the film one of the most anticipated movies of the fall and a possible awards contender. It will be shown at a variety of film festivals in the lead up to its official October release, with the film’s first screening right around the corner. Before reactions start to come out, WB released the second and final trailer for Joker and we’re here to breakdown the biggest reveals.

13. Arthur Loses His Psychiatrist

One of the first reveals made in the new trailer for Joker is that Arthur is going to lose his psychiatrist. We’ve only previously seen one shot of her asking Arthur if it helps to have someone to talk to. He didn’t answer before, and this is now a later session based on the clothing changes. While she once was trying to help Arthur, the psychiatrist has appeared to turn her back on him. The reasoning for her canceling their sessions isn’t clear, but it could be one of a final straws that pushes Arthur over the edge.

12. Arthur’s Mother Is Hospitalized

Another thing that could push Arthur over the edge is the deteriorating health of his mother. After seeing the two of them dance and Arthur caring for her, the only glimpse at Mrs. Fleck the new trailer gives us is of her in the hospital. This isn’t a routine visit either, as she appears to be in bad shape. She also appears to be unconscious, with machines support her breathing. The hospital may be all that is keeping her alive at the moment. Based on their close relationship, her condition worsening could further send Arthur spiraling – especially after what he sees next.

11. Arthur’s Failed Comedy Effect

When Arthur isn’t caring for his mother or dressing up like a clown for work, comedy is one of his interests. The final Joker trailer shows footage of Robert De Niro’s character Murray Franklin airing a piece of Arthur’s stand up routine. While Arthur is initially amazed by the fact that he is on television, that joy quickly turns to anger as Franklin makes fun of him for not being funny. Public humiliation and his mother’s dwindling health may be what cracks Arthur’s mental state and turns him onto his new path.

10. Arthur Is Watching Thomas Wayne

Joker is going to focus primarily on telling its own story, but one familiar name DC fans will also see in the movie is Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne aka Batman. Thomas could be heard critiquing the actions of Joker in the prior trailer, but now there’s only ominous set up that he is part of Arthur’s plan. He’s briefly shown on TV, and Arthur’s reflection can barely be seen on the screen. Why Thomas has become a focus for Arthur remains to be seen, but it will lead to a confrontation.

9. Zazie Beetz Is Definitely A Love-Interest

Outside of his mother, the lone character that Arthur appears to be attached to in Joker is Zazie Beetz’s Sophie Dumond. She is reportedly playing a single mother who catches the eye of Arthur, and the latter is certainly true based on what we’ve seen of her. Beetz is shown in the final trailer attending (and enjoying) Arthur’s stand up routine, which could either be on invitation or how they first meet. The two of them laugh together at a later point before Arthur, then, arrives at her door in his clown makeup and kisses her.

8. The Joker Makeup Is Applied

To achieve his desired clown look, Arthur requires a lot of makeup and the final Joker trailer shows a quick glimpse at his process. It’s a stark difference to the comic books, in which Joker’s skin becomes stark white because of a chemical accident. His perfectly white paint covers the majority of his face, and we get to see the early portions of his work in the trailer. It stops short of showing the blue around his eyes or red around his mouth. The trailer also shows him oddly licking his paintbrush, too, but the reasoning behind this is unknown.

7. Clown Protestors At A Wayne Event

As part of Arthur’s vendetta against Thomas Wayne, his work as Joker has effectively riled up Gotham’s citizens. Outside of what appears to be a showing of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times at Wayne Hall, a mob of people has gathered in protest. The protesters are wearing clown masks and holding clown-themed signs to either support Joker’s cause or rally around him in some form. This may even be the same protest that Arthur is shown watching earlier in the trailer. Gotham police officers are attempting to keep the order, while Arthur stands cheerfully in his civilian attire in the crowd.

6. Arthur Escaping Arkham With Files

Arthur is later seen running through the halls of Arkham Asylum with files in hand. While this has been glimpsed before, the trailer may provide some extra clues as to how he retrieves them. Arthur is shown slamming his head against a metal barrier as there is a struggle for something. It appears as though this could be the same sequence Brian Tyree Henry was shown in during the first trailer. But, it still is not clear what documents – or whose – he is running away with at this moment. It’s certainly possible the documents are his, given the Joker’s connection to Arkham Asylum in the comics.

5. Thomas Wayne Punches Arthur

Thomas Wayne’s final time on screen packs the biggest punch of the whole trailer, literally. He and Arthur are standing face-to-face, with Thomas dressed in a tux. His attire and the fact that Arthur is shown in the same clothes as he wears during the protest might mean that Arthur is brought into the event for a confrontation. Thomas is frustrated by the protests and asks Arthur if this is a joke to him, and when Arthur does nothing but laugh, Thomas punches him in the face. But this does raise an important question: is Arthur known to be Joker, or was he detained for being part of the protest?

4. Joker Leads Chaos On The Subway

As the trailer winds down, the final look for Phoenix’s Joker takes center stage, as does the chaos he causes. With the cops on his tail, Joker starts a massive brawl in a subway car. He isn’t alone on the subway, though, as many other people around him have clown masks. He puts one on himself to slip away, while his followers and regular civilians keep the cops busy. Based on shots that come after this, he is successful in evading capture, for the time being. At this point, Joker is doing what he does best: incite chaos.

3. Joker’s Stage Name Is Born

The always important moment of a character receiving their comic book accurate name was revealed, too. When Arthur gets a proper appearance on Murray Franklin’s show, this is where he fully introduces his new persona. His only request is that they introduce him as Joker when he first walks out. This is the moment where the Joker identity will be officially created. Even though he is the one to request this name, it will be fascinating to see if Arthur comes up with this all on his own or if he receives some form of inspiration along the way.

2. Joker Visits A Children’s Hospital

While Joker is unlikely to be a heroic tale, the trailer does momentarily offer a glimpse at the good that Arthur was doing at one point. His day job as a clown-for-hire saw him on at least one occasion visit a children’s hospital to entertain sick kids. Without a care in the world, Arthur dances foolishly in an attempt to lighten the moods of these kids. The moment is quick, so we don’t get to see that much of their reactions, but the nurse appears to be enjoying it at least. Taking this away from him is what will ultimately transform Arthur into the Joker.

1. Joker Makes His TV Debut

And finally, Joker’s coming out party is how the Joker trailer comes to a close. Set to the lyrics “Send in the clowns,” the final shot shows Arthur readying for his TV debut. He’s in the full Joker costume and strikes a pose as the spotlights circle around to their positions. Once the curtains open, Joker will make his way onto TV stations across Gotham through Live with Murray Franklin. If he holds any resentment over Murray’s prior jokes at his expense, then it only makes what happens next all the more intriguing. It could also lead to many deaths, if the movie ultimately follows certain story elements from The Dark Knight Returns comic.

About The Author

Cooper Hood
(5633 Articles Published)

Cooper Hood is a news and feature writer for Screen Rant. He joined Screen Rant in late 2016 following a year-long stint with MCU Exchange, which came after first developing an MCU blog of his own. He graduated college in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Media & Public Communication, with a minor in Media Production. Cooper’s love for movies began by watching Toy Story and Lion King on repeat as a child, but it wasn’t until The Avengers that he took an invested interest in movies and the filmmaking process, leading him to discover the world of film journalism. Every year Cooper looks forward to seeing the latest blockbusters from the likes of Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, but also loves the rush to catch up on Oscar films near the end of the year. When he isn’t writing about or watching new releases, Cooper is a fantasy football obsessive and looking to expand his Blu-Ray collection – because physical media is still king! Follow Cooper on Twitter @MovieCooper.

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