DC’s upcoming project based around the iconic Batman villain was wise to select an actor of Joaquin Phoenix’s quality. Not because Phoenix is particularly motivated in upstaging Heath Ledger’s character portrayal, but because DC can only keep pace if they match Marvel with quality of their own. Up until now, images from the production set have been kept private to those on inside looking in.

But all that was subject to change this afternoon after Warner Bros. released a portrait of Joaquin Phoenix in costume and make-up. This is the same Warner Bros. outfit that is releasing another Joker project based around Jared Leto’s depiction of the character in Suicide Squad.

TMZ was able to obtain this video of Joaquin performing on set opposite a disturbing clown in overall suspenders. Filming is set in NYC and hopes to bring forth the Joker origin story thereby lacking in DC’s film canon. The project is being steered by mastermind director Martin Scorsese, and will also star Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, and Marc Maron, among others.  

To film buffs weary of the many superhero tropes within the genre, Phoenix reassured Collider that it was unlike anything before it. “I wouldn’t say it’s a superhero movie, or a studio movie or a … It feels unique” the actor said.