Martin Scorsese almost directed 'Joker': 'I didn't have the time for it'

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Famed director Martin Scorsese said he passed on directing "Joker," the movie that has gone on to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

Scorsese made headlines recently for slamming comic book movies -- specifically Marvel films -- comparing them to theme parks.

However, in an interview with the BBC, Scorsese reveals that he once considered directing "Joker," an origin story for the Batman archvillain from DC Comics.

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"I thought about it a lot over the last four years, 'Joker,'" Scorsese, 76, said. "I decided I didn't have the time for it."

Scorsese said he did notice the influence his body of work had on Todd Phillips' crafting of the film, but maintained that there were also "personal reasons" that he didn't want to sit in the director's chair.

"Ultimately, I don't know if I have the ability to take the next step, which is this character developing into a comic book character," Scorsese said. "It develops into an abstraction. That doesn't mean it's bad art, it could be, but it's not for me."

Despite his praises for "Joker," he stated that superhero films are still in a different category.

"Superhero films are, like I said, another art form, they're not easy to make, there's a lot of very talented people doing good work and a lot of young people really, really enjoy them," continued "The Irishman" director. "But I do think it's more of an extension of an amusement park."

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