When it was first announced that a dark, serious, and introspective Joker film would be directed by Todd Phillips, not a lot of people had faith. I mean, he may have done War Dogs, but he also did the Hangover movies and Old School. Could someone with his filmography effectively create a story that delved into the human psyche? 

As it turns out, the answer was a resounding yes. Love it or hate it, the film was largely praised by critics, and has substantial Oscar buzz going on as well. Furthermore, the flick has cracked a billion dollars, going on to become one of the most profitable movies of all-time. But how did Todd Phillips end up working on this movie? More specifically, what made him decide to leave comedy for more dramatic stuff?

RELATED – Joker’s Oscar Nominations Hit Double Digits

 “It had everything to do with Donald Trump,” Phillips told TheWrap. “I think what you realize as you get older and you see where the world is going, you go ‘God, you know, I’m being given these opportunities, so why not do something impactful?” he said. “When Obama was there, I did three ‘Hangover’ movies … but the world has changed drastically. And if Bernie gets there, I’m going back to comedy.” That last part he added with a laugh.

Honestly, this is actually pretty surprising to me, as this is the same guy who lamented that it was impossible to do comedy in today’s “woke” culture. 

It’s even more interesting, in retrospect, at this movie, which some worried would be an incel rallying cry ended up being so left in its politics (it deals with mental health, the injustice of the rich, etc.), though Phillips does seem to think it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

“Movies tend to be a mirror, they hold up a reflection of what’s going on in society. And I do think sometimes when you hold that mirror up, people don’t always like what they see,” Phillips said. “it’s been this weird Rorschach test. Both sides see it as an indictment of the other side.”

That being said, Phillips does apparently see the movie’s politics as left-leaning in nature, and it really does seem to resonate with some folks in an unexpected way. 

“I had so many people come up to me, write me emails or write on Instagram, about you know, ‘I have a sister who is schizophrenic and I watched your film and I realized I need to be more patient with her. I need to be more understanding,’” Phillips said. “Some people will ask if I feel vindicated by the box office … but honest to God, it was never about that. We wanted to make something meaningful….I think what you realize as you get older and you see where the world is going, you go ‘God, you know, I’m being given these opportunities, so why not do something impactful?”

While there does seem to be a pretty vocal faction of people who consider Joker to be an empty husk of a film, there are others who find a lot to dig into. But what do you think? And what do you think of Phillips’ comments? Does any of this make Joker a more or less engaging experience for you? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: TheWrap