Joaquin Phoenix's first look as Joker revealed

"Joker" director, Todd Phillips, has released the first look of Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character.

Phillips captioned the Instagram image with just "Arthur", the iteration of the Joker's name before he took on his mononym.

The film is described as an "exploration of a man disregarded by society that is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale."

The origin story will be set in 1980s Gotham City, with the Wayne family represented by its patriarch, Thomas.

Scott Silver co-wrote the script with Phillips.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on October 4, 2019.