Short answer
Todd Phillips directed Joker, the 2019 Warner Bros. film that stars Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck. Phillips also co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver and served as a producer. He returned to the director's chair for the sequel, Joker: Folie a Deux, released in 2024.
If you came here after hearing about the movie in a conversation, that single name is the whole answer. The confusion starts when people mix up different films that all feature the same character.
Joker (2019) crew facts
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Writers: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
- Lead actor: Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck
- Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
- US theatrical release: October 4, 2019
Phillips built the film as a standalone character study rather than a sequel to any earlier Batman movie. That choice is why the tone, cast, and continuity do not match the other Joker films.
Joker: Folie a Deux (2024)
Todd Phillips directed the sequel as well, with Joaquin Phoenix returning and Lady Gaga playing Harley Quinn. The film continues the story of Arthur Fleck and keeps the same production team behind the camera. Any article that credits a different director for this title is wrong.
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Other Joker films and their directors
The character has appeared on screen under several directors, which is the main source of mix-ups:
- Batman (1989): Tim Burton directed, with Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
- The Dark Knight (2008): Christopher Nolan directed, with Heath Ledger as the Joker.
- Suicide Squad (2016): David Ayer directed, with Jared Leto as the Joker.
- Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021): Zack Snyder directed, with Jared Leto returning in a small role.
How to verify a director credit
- Check the film's official studio page for the title, which lists the director and key crew.
- Watch the opening credits on the film itself, where the director credit appears before the title card.
- Cross-check a second source, such as a film database or a trade publication review from the release year.
- Compare the release year, because the 2019 film and the 2024 sequel share a director but not a cast list.
Quick recap
Todd Phillips directed Joker (2019) and Joker: Folie a Deux (2024). Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, David Ayer, and Zack Snyder directed other films that feature the Joker, and none of them worked on the Phillips movies.