Separate from the DC cinematic universe, the standalone Joker film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck also known as the iconic DC supervillain, Joker. The screenplay takes inspiration from “Batman: The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland while the film itself adopts an overall dark psychological tone with a Martin Scorsese-esque touch.

The latest trailer is the final one to drop before the film’s premiere on 4 October 2019. It tells us more of what to expect from Arthur’s story in the movie directed by Todd Phillips.

The trailer does a great job showing more of Arthur’s dark and negative mindset and his background as a failed stand-up comedian.

The biggest takeaway from watching this trailer is that Arthur will end up embracing the more sinister Joker persona after being shunned by society in more ways than one.

Not only was he publicly ridiculed by a TV show host, he doesn’t seem to fit in, be appreciated or even heard by most people around him. He lives a lonely life and seems to be drowning in his own misery.

While the trailer gives us snapshots of possible causes of his psychological decline, we still don’t know how everything will play out. Which of course is a very good thing because it should be revealed in the film itself.

But whatever that eventually ticked him off though, it might have sparked off something in Gotham City as it descends into chaos with people breaking out in fights and riots.

Somehow the clown, a look that’s similar to Arthur’s persona, becomes their mascot and this renews his vigour. With everyone else donning clown masks, he probably feels more recognised and belonged. And so his confidence ironically grows as he becomes more mentally disturbed.

Another interesting point in the trailer is that he will meet with billionaire philanthropist Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) who’s running for mayor of Gotham City. Thomas is of course none other than the father of Bruce aka Batman. But in the timeline of this story, it is years before Bruce (Dante Pereira-Olson) would grow up to become the caped crusader.

So far, all the released sneak peeks at the film have shown what might have pushed Arthur over the edge and we already know where the dangerous road leads to.

The teaser only vaguely mentioned that Arthur might have done something really big and “cold-blooded” while “hiding behind a mask” but never showed it. What did he actually do that finally makes him Joker? What was the line that he crossed?

Hopefully the answer to those questions would satisfyingly show us how Arthur Fleck ultimately becomes Gotham City’s most dangerous criminal.