Joker doesn't follow the comic books: Todd

London: Todd Phillips says comic book fans may not be pleased with the way his Joker has shaped up as the new film is the director's own version of the DC supervillain's story.

Phillips, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver, said the plot is more about how Joker becomes the man he came to be known as.

"We didn't follow anything from the comic books, which people are gonna be mad about."

"We just wrote our own version of where a guy like Joker might come from. That's what was interesting to me. We're not even doing Joker, but the story of becoming Joker. It's about this man," he told Empire magazine.

It was earlier speculated that the movie might follow portions of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's legendary The Killing Joke, the comic that provided the origin story for the Clown Prince of Crime. Joker is slated to be released on October 4.