Joker

(CNN)"Joker" was made for Joaquin Phoenix.

Warner Bros. debuted the official trailer Wednesday for the comic book film. Playing the notorious Batman villain, Phoenix inhabits the role so completely he's almost guaranteed to get noticed during Oscar season.

Warner Bros. is owned by CNN's parent company.

The film takes place in 1981 and tells the backstory of Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who turns to murder in Gotham City.