Todd Phillips has shared an image of Joaquin Phoenix enjoying a smoke in between takes on the set of the Joker movie. The actor is in full costume, relaxing with his feet up while smoking an American Spirit cigarette. While Phoenix is taking a break, it looks like he's still very much in character, taking it all in and preparing for the next scene. Phillips has shared a few pictures from the set since production started at the beginning of September.

In addition to the official photos that Todd Phillips has released from the Joker film, there have been numerous set leaks that have made their way online over the past few months. Phillips beat the leakers to the punch by sharing the very first images and test video of Joaquin Phoenix in full clown makeup. Since then, it's pretty much been a free-for-all in terms of unofficial images leaking online, showing Phoenix in a variety of different costumes, including a look in traditional clown makeup, which is just as creepy as the Joker makeup.

Even though filming has been going on for a few months, it's still not entirely clear what exactly Todd Phillips' Joker movie will be. Joaquin Phoenix has stated that it's a character study on the villain, which is a change of pace from what we've seen from the villain in the past on the big screen. Also, there's no Batman this time around either, though Thomas Wayne is alive and well. From leaked images, it appears that Joker is going to be leading a crusade against Gotham's wealthy population in the early 1980s.

DC fans were initially skeptical about a new version of the Joker taking place outside of the DCEU. However, even just looking at images and brief snippets of video, Joaquin Phoenix looks like an excellent choice to play the Clown Prince of Crime. The actor is approaching the character from an angle that we have not seen, which is very intriguing for DC fans who have been waiting for something different. With that being said, DC and Warner Bros. are going to have to be pretty careful about Joker fatigue setting in, especially with Suicide Squad 2 on the way as well as other various projects including the villain.

Todd Phillips' Joker movie hits theaters on October 4th, 2019. For now, DC and Warner Bros. are focusing on the release of the Aquaman film, which opens in theaters at the end of December. It will be the first superhero project that the studio has released since the box office failure of Justice League, so there's a lot riding on the standalone movie. While we wait for some news in regard to the Joker movie, you can check out the new picture of Joaquin Phoenix from the set below, thanks to Todd Phillips' Instagram account.