How to watch Joker online: stream the Joaquin Phoenix movie from anywhere

watch Joker online
(Image credit: Warner Bros)

A radical departure from the blockbuster bravado of recent Marvel and DC offerings, Joker is a psychological thriller which bestows a grimly realistic origin story on one of cinema’s most iconic villains. It’s an electrifying film, elevated by a committed, Oscar-winning performance from Joaquin Phoenix, and, if you’re interested in the genesis of Batman’s arch nemesis, you can watch Joker online from anywhere today.

Joker cheat sheet

Released: October 04, 2019

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Marc Maron, Douglas Hodge.

Run time: 2 hr 2 mins

Rating: R

Director Todd Phillips took inspiration from Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, two films about unhinged individuals on the edge of society. Set in 1981, Phoenix is Arthur Fleck, a clown-for-hire by day and a hopeful stand-up comedian by night, who lives with his ailing mother Penny (Frances Conroy) in Gotham City. Urban discontent is brewing and unemployment and crime are at an all-time high. Consequently, it’s a brutal mugging that initiates Fleck’s chaotic trajectory into madness and his eventual emergence as the Joker.

Unlike the Avengers franchise, Joker alludes to a recognisable social and political reality: one where crippling austerity exists uneasily beside a super-rich elite. But, despite its brooding tone, it has some laugh out loud moments of black comedy too – not surprising from the director of The Hangover trilogy. Zazie Beetz provides some much-needed humanity as Flack’s neighbor Sophie, and Robert De Niro is perfect as the callous talk-show host Murray Franklin. But it’s Phoenix’s metamorphosis from meek outcast to demented criminal that’s truly audacious: culminating in his brazen, unforgettable procession down the steep Bronx steps in full make-up and a crimson two-piece suit.

Joker not only sets a darker course for superhero-themed movies, but achieved both critical acclaim and box office success. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards (of which it won two), and became the first R-rated film to gross over a billion dollars worldwide. You may already know how to watch Marvel movies, but put that on hold and try these clown shoes on for size, as we detail how to watch Joker online from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Joker from outside your home country

If you’re hoping to watch Joker while out of the country, travelling for work or on a much-deserved vacation, you can still stream this award-winning gem without worrying about geo-blocking restrictions.

Downloading a VPN lets you watch on-demand content like Joker no matter where you’re based. This ingenious bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access region-specific film and TV content from anywhere.

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While there are hundreds of VPNs to choose from, our preference is ExpressVPN. As well as being quick, simple, and easy to install, it's compatible with myriad devices – Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS and Android to list just a few.

Plus, ExpressVPN's flexible 30-day money back guarantee lets you trial the software first. Even better, an annual plan can be purchased at a 49% discount with 3 months extra FREE – a brilliant offer for an essential bit of kit.

Once installed, select the location of your home country and simply click connect! Then you can put on your happy face and watch Joker online from pretty much anywhere

watch joker online

How to watch Joker online in the US

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Joker has found a home on new VoD platform HBO Max, alongside DC Entertainment cousins like Superman: The Movie, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman.

For $14.99 a month you get three simultaneous streams, meaning that a household could realistically watch the entire back catalogue of Friends, watch An American Pickle and other HBO Max Original content, and wallow in the animation genius of Studio Ghibli, all at the same time. It’s a higher monthly charge than some of its rivals, but what rich pickings it has: over 10,000 hours of content, including renowned HBO TV shows, hundreds of blockbuster films, acclaimed documentaries, and more child-friendly fare.

And you needn’t fret about over your bank balance either, because HBO Max provide a 7-day free trial to new customers. Take it for a spin, and if you want to keep your membership after a week, you don’t need to do a thing. Alternatively, cancel by the end of the your trial and you won’t have to pay a cent.

As HBO Max is only available in the United States right now, if you’re out of the country for work or leisure you might encounter difficulty connecting to this platform. The best way to circumvent the inevitable geo-blocks will be to purchase a VPN, as detailed above.

watch joker online UK

How to watch Joker online in the UK

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Those in the UK will find that Sky Cinema is now offering Joker for on-demand viewing and streaming, as well as airing it regularly on TV. 

As well as being able to find it through your telly box, the company’s Sky Go app is free to subscribers and can be used to watch Joker on a range of devices including PCs, Macs, laptops, mobiles, tablets, consoles and more.

If you don't have a Sky subscription with Sky Cinema, or want to upgrade just for one film, then its cord cutting sister service Now TV is poised to help.

Purchase the Sky Cinema pass for £11.99 and you’ll get plenty of film-ic gold: over a thousand films (current blockbusters, 80s classics), 11 live Sky Movie channels, and a brand-new release every day. And before you hand over a penny, new subscribers can enjoy a 7-day FREE Now TV trial. No contracts, no commitments.

For those making the most of the UK’s ‘travel corridors’ presently, note that if you’re out of the country it’s still possible to connect to your streaming service back home and watch Joker online. As described above, just download a VPN to connect to the VoD platform you’re registered to.

how to watch joker

How to watch Joker online in Canada

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Canada’s best-loved streaming-service has sent in the clowns: Joker is available to watch with a subscription to Crave. BUT...you will need to purchase their second-tier subscription package, Movies + HBO, which is a bit pricier at CND$19.99 a month (plus tax). If you love HBO though – and let’s face it, who doesn’t? – it’s a no-brainer, as you’ll get Crave Originals, on-demand content, and hit TV series, in addition to newly released Hollywood blockbusters, and the very latest HBO content.

Plus, there’s a week-long free trial up for grabs. And, should you find yourself gagging for more Crave, you might consider an annual membership: you’d get 12 months for the price of 10, and would save $40 a year with a Movies + HBO plan.

It’s worth reiterating that any holiday makers or nomads travelling outside of their home country will need a VPN if they want to login to their VoD streaming service and watch Joker online from anywhere in the world.

joker online stream

How to watch Joker online in Australia

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Don’t throw a wobbly and smear your face paints, Aussies can watch Joker too through Foxtel’s streaming service, Foxtel Now. Similar to Crave subscribers, you’ll need to ‘upgrade’ from the base package.

 The entry-level plan is AUS$25 and includes a range of entertainment and lifestyle channels – MTV, Fox8, CNN, and Sky News, but you’ll need to purchase the Movies add-on to watch Joker, bringing the monthly total to AUS$45.

Not only could you then marvel at Joaquin Phoenix’s astounding performance, but you get access a library of hundreds of films, from blockbusters to tried-and-tested classics.

Of course, they have a 10-day free trial for your viewing pleasure! So, you can watch Joker, explore the collection, and, if you like what you see, just do nothing. Otherwise cancel anytime you please.

Alternatively, if you only want to rave to your friends about having FINALLY seen Joker, then there is a cheaper option: Amazon Prime Video. They offer new customers a 30-DAY FREE TRIAL, after which a subscription is only AUS$6.99 a month. Joker is one of the many films available to watch at no extra cost when you a Prime subscription, plus all the other benefits of Amazon's legendary service, namely super-speedy deliveries.

Just remember that if you’re away from home, a quality VPN will let you effortlessly connect to your video on-demand service, enabling you to get swept up in the gloomy drama of Joker no matter where you happen to be.

Daniel Pateman

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.