Baldwin will play Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne, in the forthcoming comic-book adaptation surrounding the iconic Joker character.

Sources have said that the script describes Thomas Wayne as “a cheesy and tanned businessman” who evokes Donald Trump in the 1980s. Fans of Saturday Night Live will be aware that Baldwin is well able to portray a Trump-like figure as he has been impersonating the US president on the sketch show since his election in 2016.

The Hangover director Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver and is helming the movie, called the film an “exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

Despite the lesser budget of $55 million, the film boasts an impressive cast, with Phoenix and Baldwin set to be joined by Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Marc Maron. De Niro is reportedly playing a talk-show host who plays a part in driving Phoenix’s character to go insane.

Production starts in September of this year.