You Know Who Could Be a Great Joker? Oddly Enough, Tobey Maguire
"That's a cool outfit, did your society give it to you?"
The first look at Tobey Maguire in Damien Chazelle's 'Babylon' has sparked a wild idea in movie fans: what if the iconic Spider-Man actor was to change into a villain?
Not just any villain, though. According to fans, Maguire looks like a perfect Joker, Batman 's archenemy, in the first promotional photos from 'Babylon'. When you think about it, Maguire's character, James McKay, does look like the infamous Clown Prince with his insane smile and an outfit that channels an Arthur Fleck energy.
Many people quickly recalled the infamous "Bully Maguire" – an "evil" version of Spider-Man that appeared in the third movie about the iconic web-swinger directed by Sam Raimi. According to fans, Maguire could pull off a pretty decent Joker if he brought back some of the "bully" energy he delivered in 'Spider-Man 3'.
An iconic Batman villain, Joker has been portrayed by several prominent actors, from Jack Nicholson to Heath Ledger and, most recently, Joaquin Phoenix and Barry Keoghan. With Matt Reeves' 'The Batman' sequel being in the works, Keoghan's Clown Prince might make an appearance there. Phoenix's Joker, in his turn, is due to return in Todd Phillips' sequel 'Folie à Deux' which will hit screens in October 2024.
Fans are fueling the Joker speculations about Maguire even though 'Babylon' is nowhere near the superhero universe. Directed by Damien Chazelle, the movie is set in Hollywood and focuses on the transition from silent films to talkies, offering a mixture of both fictional and historical characters.
Aside from Maguire, the movie also involves Brad Pitt (Jack Conrad) and Margot Robbie ( Nellie LaRoy).
'Babylon' is set to premiere on December 25, 2022.