Top 10 Reasons Joker Will Sweep at the Oscars

Arguably the first comic book adaptation to make a significant splash at the Oscars was “Dick Tracy,” which won three below-the-line awards and scored Al Pacino a Best Supporting Actor nomination. It was “The Dark Knight,” however, that brought superhero movies into the Best Picture conversation. Although “The Dark Knight” received eight nominations, plus a win for Heath Ledger’s posthumous performance, it missed out in Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. Since then, “Logan” became the first comic book superhero movie to receive a screenplay nomination, while “Black Panther” broke into the Best Picture race. Now that comic book movies are finally being taken seriously, “Joker” is in a prime position to dominate the Oscars while also getting justice for “The Dark Knight.”

With the success of “Black Panther,” fans are keeping their fingers crossed to see “Avengers: Endgame” continue the MCU’s Oscar streak. It would certainly be deserved and Kevin Feige is overdue for the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. Alas, the other “Avengers” movies were only nominated for Best Visual Effects. If the Academy does honor a comic book movie from 2019, they’re more likely to gravitate towards “Joker,” a gritty crime drama that isn’t part of a cinematic universe. Unlike “Wonder Woman,” “Deadpool,” “Thor: Ragnarok,” and other comic book movies that got shut out, “Joker” shares more in common with grounded graphic novel adaptations like “Road to Perdition” and “A History of Violence,” which garnered Oscar nominations for Paul Newman and William Hurt, respectively.

In the wake of the #OscarSoWhite social media campaign, the Academy decided to inject some fresh blood. With the rise of new, more diverse members, the Academy has been stepping out of its comfort zone. “Moonlight,” a dark coming-of-age drama with a minuscule budget, managed to beat out the Best Picture favorite, “La La Land.” “The Shape of Water” overcame the Academy’s bias against fantasy movies, winning Best Picture and Best Director. Granted, the Academy still goes for safer, more conventional Oscar fare, such as “Green Book.” Even that year, though, the Best Picture nomination for “Black Panther” marked a notable shift within the Academy. With 842 members joining the Academy in 2019, “Joker” may gain the support it needs to pull off the unthinkable.

Martin Scorsese is easily among the most influential filmmakers who ever lived, but this hasn’t always been represented at the Oscars. Scorsese didn’t even receive a directing nomination for “Taxi Driver.” “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas” infamously lost Best picture to “Ordinary People” and “Dances with Wolves,” respectively. Maybe his work was too dark for Oscar voters back then, but the Academy’s appreciation for Scorsese grew with time, culminating in Best Director and Best Picture wins for “The Departed.” “Joker” was largely inspired by Scorsese’s films, particularly “The King of Comedy.” While “The King of Comedy” went overlooked upon release, it’s just as relevant in today’s world, which benefits “Joker.” In fact, it’d be interesting to see “Joker” go head-to-head with “The Irishman,” Scorsese’s latest directorial outing.

Whether it’s a villain they love to hate or a villain they hate to love, Oscar voters adore villains, or “winking devils” as GoldDerby editor Tom O'Neil would put it. Allison Janey in “I, Tonya” and J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash” are just a couple recent examples. Even pure evil characters, like Hans Landa in “Inglourious Basterds,” Anton Chigurh in “No Country for Old Men,” and Hannibal Lecter in “Silence of the Lambs,” garnered wins for Christoph Waltz, Javier Bardem, and Anthony Hopkins, respectively. Then there’s Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, which proved comic book villains can winover the Academy. This bodes well for Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the Joker, which International Film Critique called “one of the greatest, darkest villains in cinematic history.”

On the surface, Todd Phillips doesn’t fit the Academy’s usual mold, having started his career directing frat house comedies like “Road Trip” and “Old School.” Phillips is actually an Oscar nominee, however, sharing a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination with several others for “Borat.” The Hollywood Foreign Press honored Philips with a Best Picture – Musical or Comedy victory for “The Hangover.” Phillips was also a producer on the Best Picture-nominated “A Star Is Born.” Golden boy Bradley Cooper is returning the favor by co-producing “Joker” with Phillips and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, who was previously nominated for “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Phillips could very well be this year’s Peter Farrelly, who went from directing raunchy comedies to winning two Oscars in the blink of an eye.

Once upon a time, the Academy had a tendency to lean towards sweeping, romanticized epics. In recent years, though, they’ve been favoring films that tap into the current zeitgeist. “The Shape of Water,” “Moonlight,” and “Spotlight” all touched upon timely themes, ranging from prejudice, to acceptance, to freedom of the press. Even divisive winners like “Green Book” had a socially conscious message at the core. “Joker” may take place in Gotham City, but it reflects the chaotic world we live in. Providing commentary on violence, mental health, and corrupt political figures, “Joker” might be the most relevant movie to hit theaters in 2019. The rise of mass shootings in the United States would make “Joker” an especially provocative Oscar winner.

It may not seem like an Oscar baity role, but multiple actors have generated awards buzz for playing the Clown Prince of Crime. For his colorful portrayal in Tim Burton’s “Batman,” Jack Nicholson scored Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Heath Ledger swept virtually every major award show for his transcendent performance, building to a bittersweet Oscar victory. Since Ledger won just over ten years ago, some voters might go into “Joker” thinking, “been there, done that.” It’s not uncommon for two different actors to garner awards love for the same role, however. Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh received nominations for playing Henry V. Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro won Oscars for playing Vito Corleone. Will Joaquin Phoenix make the Joker a two-time Oscar-winning role?

Making a strong impression on the film festival circuit has become integral to any Best Picture race. “Joker” solidified itself as an Oscar favorite at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. Not only did it receive incredible reviews from the press in attendance, but the film won the coveted Golden Lion. The last film to take home Venice’s top honor was “Roma,” which went on to win the Oscars for Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film. A year earlier, the Golden Lion went to “The Shape of Water,” putting it on the fast track to sweeping the Oscars. “Joker” also locked down screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, guaranteeing the film will be on the Academy’s radar.

“Joker” is sure to get support from the Academy’s tech branches, but it’s the Actors Branch that’ll propel it into the Best Picture race. Why? Because the Actors Branch is the biggest within the Academy and Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is already being praised as the year’s most astounding acting feat. Sometimes a great performance is enough to increase a movie’s chances at a Best Picture nomination. Take Gary Oldman in “Darkest Hour” for example. As a matter of fact, it’s been a decade since a Best Actor winner’s movie wasn’t also nominated for Best Picture. In addition to delivering a transformative performance, Phoenix is long overdue after three prior nominations. If he is indeed the frontrunner, “Joker” could get the last laugh on Oscar Night.