From the moment the movie was first announced, it was made clear that the upcoming DC standalone feature "Joker" would be an extremely dark take on the iconic villain. And now, director Todd Phillips has confirmed that the film's rating will reflect that tone.

In a post shared on Instagram over the weekend, Phillips revealed yet another behind the scenes photo from the flick, featuring titular star Joaquin Phoenix painting his face in the Joker's signature white makeup.

It's a haunting portrait, and the stark black and white imagery suggests that this flick will certainly strike a more somber note than previous interpretations of the character. And as Phillips revealed in replying to a fan comment, the film will be able to explore that darkness in every shade, thanks to an R rating.

While not an entirely shocking announcement (something Phillips himself noted in his response), it's still reassuring news for fans who have been craving a version of the Joker story that's less Jared Leto and more Heath Ledger (though, yes, Ledger's portrayal of the villain was in the PG-13 "The Dark Knight"). Everything we've seen so far from the flick suggests that the film will be leaning hard into that R.

"Joker" features an all-star cast alongside Phoenix, including Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, Bill Camp, Glenn Fleshler, and Shea Whigham. It's slated to hit theaters on October 4.