Warning: This article contains mild spoilers for Joker.

The iconic bathroom dance scene in Joker wasn’t in the original script. The Joaquin Phoenix-starring film is one of the most discussed movies of the year, dividing not just audiences, but Oscar voters as well.

There are many films released throughout a year, but only a handful gain significant media attention. Joker is one such film, arguably leading the pack in online discussion. Although not negatively received by all critics, general audiences seem to be enjoying the film more. However, a number on both sides agree that Joaquin Phoenix delivered a compelling performance as a man pushed to the side by society. The film is currently doing outstanding at the box office, surpassing $100 million last week. The film will likely be in the spotlight for awhile. Joker has plenty of memorable scenes, but fans may be surprised to learn that a turning point in the film was originally much different.

Director Todd Phillips has revealed (via Screenplayed) that the bathroom dance in Joker originally didn’t happen. Instead, as the director explains in the below video, the scripted sequence would have had Arthur staring at the mirror in a kind of “What have I done?” scene. However, after playing music from the film’s composer, Phoenix began a dance, thus improvising the scene viewers see in the final version.

In one of the film’s most important sequences, Arthur is harassed by three businessmen on a train. Arthur shoots two of them, and hunts down the third, fleeing one. It’s directly after that when he goes into the bathroom. The original scripted bathroom scene sounds more conventional, but many fans would likely agree that the improvised dance served as a good starting transition into the title character. It can often be improvisations by the actors that prove to be more compelling than what’s in the script, and this is certainly a case of of that nature.

With Joker making Warner Bros. a lot of money, some are probably wondering if the studio will find a way to continue the story of Arthur Fleck. Phoenix himself said he’s open for returning to the role. Still, fans shouldn’t get their hopes up. Joker was envisioned as a standalone feature focusing as a character study. The director has also not revealed what really went down with the film’s ambiguous ending. Suffice to say, Joker getting a sequel doesn’t seem too likely. But, it’s not an impossibility either, and fans would be lining up to see where the story could go.

Next: Joker’s Ending Explained

Source: Screenplayed

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