Zazie Beetz in talks for Joker

Los Angeles: Deadpool 2 star Zazie Beetz is close to lock a deal with Warner Bros for a role in Joker.

The film, to be directed by Todd Philips, will feature Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, one of the most notorious DC supervillains.

It will centres around the iconic arch nemesis of The Batman and the studio has described it as an "original, standalone story".

The details are being kept under wraps but Beetz would play "a single mother who catches the interest of the man who will become the Clown Prince of Crime."

If the deal goes through, Beetz will play a single mother who catches the interest of the man who will become the "clown prince of crime", according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Warner Bros has set a release date of October 4, 2019 for the film.

But the production of the film is expected to start September this year.

Beetz most recently appeared in Deadpool 2, alongside Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin.

She played Domino in the David Leitch-directed film.

The 27-year-old actor will be next seen in Noah Hawley sci-fi drama Pale Blue Dot and Steven Soderbergh's High Flying Bird.