LOS ANGELES

Filmmaker Todd Phillips says he is game to further explore the iconic DC villain Joker if an ideal opportunity comes his way. Phillips recently directed "Joker", featuring Joaquin Phoenix as the Clown Prince of Crime. The film received overwhelming reviews from the critics and was a box office success, grossed over USD 1 billion worldwide.

Ever since, the director has been facing questions regarding a potential sequel to the film. Phillips said at Deadline's The Contenders New York award-season event he is "open" to reunite with Phoenix but nothing is final as of yet.

"When a movie does USD 1 billion and costs USD 60 million to make, of course, it comes up. But Joaquin and I haven't really decided on it. We're open. "I mean, I'd love to work with him on anything, quite frankly," the filmmaker said. Even if the project is a sequel to "Joker", Phillips said he will only direct if he believes the new film will be able to resonate with the audiences like the original.

"So who knows? But it would have to have a real thematic resonance the way this one did, ultimately being about childhood trauma and the lack of love, and the loss of empathy," the director said. "All those things are really what made this movie work for us, so we'd have to have something that had an equal thematic resonance," he added.