The first reactions to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker have arrived online, and they’re all generally positive. Directed by Todd Phillips, the next Warner Bros. and DC project is establishing a new origin story for the Clown Prince of Crime. Boasting a star studded cast including Robert De Niro, Marc Maron, Brett Cullen, Frances Conroy, and Zazie Beetz, Joker takes fans back in time to the 1980s when the iconic comic book villain was just a failed comedian known as Arthur Fleck.

Just a few days ago, the final trailer for Joker dropped, surprising a lot of people. It featured a slew of never-before-seen clips but mostly focused on Phoenix’s titular character. Despite its release inching near, plot details for the film are being kept tightly under wraps. Whatever it turns out to be, however, fans will be happy to learn that critics are loving Joker as evidenced by the early reactions.

A handful of press and critics have shared their non-spoiler reactions to Joker on social media. Most of them have nothing but great things to say about the Phillips-directed film and that is good news for DC fans. Read a sampling of the glowing Joker reactions, below:

Joker isn’t based on any narrative from the comic books, so Phillips had full control of how he wanted to craft Fleck’s story. This makes for a more interesting film since the public doesn’t have any idea about where the story might go. That said, the director recently revealed that he had to go through a whole year just to convince Warner Bros. to green light the project as R-rated, but it seems like all his effort is worth it looking at these reactions. Rumored details about this Joker character hint at a deeper connection between the Clown Prince of Crime and his arch nemesis, Bruce Wayne/Batman, suggesting they may share the same biological father. Fans already know that a young Bruce will appear in the film thanks to its first trailer, while Thomas Wayne (Cullen) is expected to play a significant role in how things pan out for Fleck.

It’s no secret that many were skeptic of a Joker standalone when it was first announced by Warner Bros. But the public eventually mellowed on the idea, and especially after learning the roster of talent attached. On top of that, marketing has been on point, furthering people’s excitement, and these latest reactions will are likely just amplify the anticipation. Assuming Joker garners the same kind of acclaim when it officially releases in October and makes the studio profit, the supposed sequel Phillips recently talked about would not be out of the realm of possibility.

More: Joker Movie Cast & Character Guide

Source: Various

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