It's the DC origin story everyone has been waiting for; Martin Scorsese is reportedly set to produce the first official Joker spin-off movie, though it's not expected to be directly associated with the current Batman universe and it will star an all new actor.

Martin Scorsese at the premiere for 'Silence'Martin Scorsese at the premiere for 'Silence'

With 'Justice League' on the way, we'll see Ben Affleck return as Batman this year, later to be followed by his own movie - the full details of which are yet to be announced. But since 'Suicide Squad', there's been an all new fascination with the world of supervillains rather than heroes.

Of course, we have 'Suicide Squad 2' to look forward to in 2019, and also the Harley Quinn led 'Gotham City Sirens', but now it seems that a spin-off for Batman's favourite nemesis - the Joker himself - is well underway with the Academy Award winning Martin Scorsese ('The Wolf of Wall Street', 'Goodfellas') thought to be producing. 

Rumour has it that the screenplay is being written by Todd Phillips ('The Hangover') and Scott Silver ('The Finest Hours', '8 Mile'), with the former also directing as well as producing with Scorsese. Other than that, the only information we have so far is Deadline's claim that it's to be a 'gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film', well in line with Scorsese's genre, and set in the early eighties in Gotham City.

An all new actor will be enlisted for the role of the Joker, and while you might consider it going to Scorsese's protege Leonardo DiCaprio or Phillips' pal Bradley Cooper, it's thought that the new star will be a much younger version of the legendary villain.

More: 'Suicide Squad 2' to be filmed in 2018

Previous incarnations of the character have been portrayed by Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton's 'Batman', Heath Ledger in 'The Dark Knight' and Jared Leto in 'Suicide Squad', as well as Cameron Monaghan in the TV series 'Gotham'.