Warner Brothers has released the first trailer for their standalone Joker film, and it looks pretty damn good.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover, War Dogs), Joker — like most standalone superhero films — is an origin story, showing how the wicked enemy of Batman came to be. The trailer really sells us on Phoenix’s portrayal, and one can’t help but wonder if it’s going to be right up their with Heath Ledger’s stellar turn.

The trailer begins with the life of Joker before he was the well-known villain: Arthur is a troubled man who takes care of his mother and works (at least in part) as a clown. His mental illness and some bullying are two factors that lead him down a dark path.

Joker arrives this October and looks like another great film out of DC/WB.