The new 'Joker' movie will be 'R-rated', confirms director Todd Phillips

Just in case there's been any confusion, the new Joker movie will be for grown ups.

Todd Phillips, who's directing the hotly-anticipated origin story of Batman's nemesis, has confirmed that it will indeed be 'R-rated'.

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After posting a new shot from the production on his Instagram page, one fan popped the question 'MPAA rating???'

Phillip replied: “It will be Rated R. I've been asked this a lot. Just assumed people knew. Sorry.”

Judging by the distinctly Taxi Driver-esque vibes from the movie's first trailer, in which we see Joaquin Phoenix's put-upon stand up comedian slowly becoming unhinged, an R-rating seems entirely appropriate.

That means that either a 15 or an 18 rating will be a likelihood in the UK (though probably a 15), depending on the severity of the adult themes going on.

Few superhero or comicbook-based movies go for the full, audience-limiting adult rating, though there have been a handful in year recent years, from Watchmen and Deadpool to Kick-Ass and Logan.

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Phillips, who made the Hangover movies, as well as knockabout comedies like Due Date and Borat, which he devised with Sacha Baron Cohen, won't be playing for many laughs with Joker.

Set in 1981, Phoenix will play Arthur Fleck, with Robert De Niro as talk show host Murray Franklin, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Marc Maron.

There will also be depictions of Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen), Bruce Wayne's father, and young Bruce Wayne himself, played by Dante Pereira-Olson.

It's due for release in the UK on October 4. You can check out the first trailer below...