Here's some cool movie news: according to Deadline, Warner Bros. is beginning to plan a Batman spinoff that will be the origin story of the popular villain The Joker. He's one of the best-known characters in the Batman universe, so a spinoff about him makes sense.

　　There are some big names attached to the movie, which is only in the "early stages" of development, Deadline said. It will be directed by The Hangover director Todd Phillips, who will write the script alongside 8 Mile's Scott Silver. Legendary director Martin Scorsese will produce the untitled Joker spinoff.

　　"This will be the first film under a new banner that has yet to be named in which WB can expand the canon of DC properties and create unique storylines with different actors playing the iconic characters," Deadline reported.

　　According to Deadline, the current Joker movie actor, Jared Leto, won't play the character in the new film. WB is reportedly looking to bring in a younger actor. Leto played Joker in Suicide Squad and will reprise the role in that movie's sequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff.

　　According to the report, the untitled Joker spinoff will be a "gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in the early '80s Gotham City." Interestingly, WB is reportedly setting up the film not as a DC movie but rather like one of Scorsese's '80s-set movies like Raging Bull or Taxi Driver.

　　Don't expect the new Joker movie anytime soon, however. A script is being written, according to the report, but we don't know as of yet when it'll come out.

　　We'll report back with more details the new Joker movie as they're announced.