The first trailer for Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix has been released. The DC Comics film, which takes place in a 1980s version of Gotham City, follows Phoenix as a mild-mannered man who becomes the sadistic villain with a permanent grin. Phoenix’s turn in the role is unrelated to Jared Leto’s version of the character in Suicide Squad. The eerie trailer shows that Phoenix’s character has a close relationship with his mother, played by Frances Conroy, and is beaten down multiple times before appearing in the iconic Joker form. “My mother always tells me to smile and put on a happy face,” Phoenix says over the new footage. “She told me I had a purpose: to bring laughter and joy to the world. Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?” Actors Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, and Brett Cullen all appear in the trailer. Robert De Niro also makes an appearance, playing a talk show host. The trailer closes on the Joker positing: “I used to think my life was a tragedy, but now I realize it’s a comedy.”