Exploring affect, identity, and populism in and around Todd Phillips’ Joker

Cultural identity has become a fluid concept in which several positionalities converge; most of them are influenced greatly by popular culture, causing constant individual negotiation between their real lives and the image on screen. In 2019, Todd Phillips’s Joker achieved worldwide success not only at box ofce but also critical appraisal. Unlike previous representations this villain as disruptive social persona, showed main character political fgure that gives agency voice to people who socially repressed. The impact representation transcended Anglo cultures extent symbolizing populist uprising growing antigovernment sentiment. Nevertheless, fgure’s appropriation brings twoproblematic ideological standpoints goal these groups aim: violence alternative restoring equality society color blindness silences struggles face depending context.