Please Say It’s So! Is Jared Leto Out As The Joker?

Whew. Crisis averted. After months speculation that Jared Leto’s Suicide Squad version of the Joker would receive not one but two standalone movies, we can all rest easy knowing that it’s not happening. Leto’s Joker, for lack of better words, was despised by most fans all over the world. While some praised him for his out of this world take on the character, most couldn’t wait to see it end. 

Leto’s Joker will most be remembered for the grills on his mouth, the excessive amount of tattoo’s (most notably the word damaged drawn across his forehead), and the off screen antics the actor brought to the set. It felt off. Granted, in comics there are numerous iterations things f the character and I’m sure that’s what Jared Leto was trying to show, but it just didn’t work.

Leto vs Ledger

The Joker is a character who comic book readers love and fear to see on the big screen. As Batman’s most famous enemy, he brings a sense of anarchy and chaos that cannot be replicated by any other character. This translates extremely well to movies. However, the character, since Heath Ledger’s death and performance, has reached a holy and untouchable level. The Dark Knight Returns has been remembered not because of the movie but for Heath Ledger’s performance. Good for DC but bad for actors. Unfortunately, any who try will forever be compared to Ledger.

The movies, one that saw him act solo and one that reunited him with Harley Quinn, would no doubt have received a similar response to that of Suicide Squad. Leto, as much as he tried to bring his own feel to the character, failed because of the Ledger effect. Don’t get me wrong. That’s not to say that any actor who tries will fail. I have no doubt that Joaquin Phoenix will do a great job as the Joker. What it does say is that Leto couldn’t have succeeded because his work directly followed Ledger’s. I’d venture to say that anyone who followed Ledger would’ve failed. 

Sorry aspiring Joker’s.

Besides, seeing that DC and Warner Bros. are not interested in a shared universe, having Leto remain on as the Joker just doesn’t make sense. So yes, thankfully Jared Leto is out as the Joker.

Cheers,

Joel

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