This is no laughing matter; Joker tickets are now on sale. Not only that, but we have two brand new posters for the upcoming DC adaptation that highlight Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic villain. This is poised to be one of the most talked about movies of the fall season and could even go on to be a serious contender for some Academy Awards. And those who want to get in on the discussion early can now purchase tickets for what promises to be a DC movie the likes of which we've never seen.

To announce that pre-sale tickets are now available, two posters were released, one by Fandango and one for Dolby Cinema. The former features a pitch-black background with Joaquin Phoenix decked out in his full Joker outfit. He's turned toward us, but we see just the left side of this face. He doesn't look very happy, that much is certain. The second poster features a white background and we see a bit more of the character looking equally un-thrilled, but with what we're not sure.

Joker has been making headlines ever since the project was first announced. Initially, it had to do with the fact that the villain would finally be getting an origin story on the big screen, which is something we've never seen before. Things got more interesting when it was revealed this would be an R-rated take directed by Todd Phillips, the man responsible for The Hangover trilogy, with Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role. Things hit a fever pitch recently when the movie took home the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. That has put it on track for an awards season run.

Currently, the movie sits at a 75 percent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. While many have praised the adaptation, specifically Joaquin Phoenix's performance, others have criticized its over-the-top violence, amongst other things. The discourse surrounding the movie has already been intense, and the general public hasn't even had the chance to see it yet. One can only imagine how heated things will become once general moviegoing audiences do have the chance to check this one out and weigh in. For better or for worse, we'll surely be talking about this for months to come.

At present, box office tracking is looking extremely good for Warner Bros.' latest DC offering. Joker is on pace to set an October opening weekend record. That currently belongs to Venom, which nabbed $80.2 million last year. On the high end, tracking has the movie bringing in as much as $95 million. Its long-term prospects will depend largely on how audiences respond to the material and, as we've seen in recent years, time and time again, critics and audiences often disagree with these big movies. Joker is set to hit theaters on October 4. Be sure to check out the new posters below. Those who wish to purchase pre-sale tickets can head on over to Fandango.