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Summary
Few operation across theDCEUwere more wide rail than Jared Leto ’s Joker , but his controversial take on the Clown Prince of Crime was n’t without its redeeming caliber . When Jared Leto was announced to be the latest in thelong line of actor to dally Jokerin 2016’sSuicide Squad , the selection was met with skepticism , to say the least . That being aver , there was a time when the Heath Ledger seemed like an incompatible choice for the role as well , only for the portrayal to be met with critical acclaim even outside the realm of comic book fandom .
Unfortunately , Jared Leto ’s Joker was just as flawed in practice as he was in premise . The awkward bringing , puzzling wardrobe and constitution choices , and lack of grandness in the overall write up . For playing such an important character , Jared Leto ’s Joker hardly appear inthe DCEU ’s film subroutine library , the enfranchisement quietly shelving him for the foreseeable future until the looseness of the shared cinematic universe . Still , among such powerhouse performances like Joaquin Phoenix , Heath Ledger , and Jack Nicholson , being the lowest - see version of the fiber does n’t necessarily mean Jared Leto ’s take had nothing to apprise .
Jared Leto is no longer the Joker of DC Extended Universe but there ’s something about his take on the character that go forward to divide fans .
10Leto’s Joker Tries Something Different
The performance was certainly unique, if nothing else
The DCEU even canceled two Joker movies that were further along in the pipeline , essentially retconning the character ’s very existence .
Leto ’s splendidly full method performance was lamentably mostly leave on the clipping way floor by the film , with Leto later expressing frustration over the DCEU ’s untimely cover - up of his office after a crisp initial response . TheDCEU even canceled two Joker moviesthat were further along in the word of mouth , essentially retconning the character ’s very world . Considering that the few glimpses audiences did get of Leto ’s performance declare oneself a more violent , sadistic , and unstable Joker than had ever been visualize before , it ’s a ignominy that serial publication did n’t bring with Leto more to deliver his sight for the noted villain .
9Leto’s Joker Was Set Up To Have A Complex Relationship With Batman
Zack Snyder’s Justice League offered a fascinating glimpse into their rivalry
nail down the kinship between Joker and Batman is one of the most important prospect of the character to get right in any adjustment . Many story in both plastic film and risible Holy Scripture mediums have described the two as being polar sides of the same coin . InThe Dark Knight , when asked by Batman if he wanted him dead , Ledger ’s Joker exclaimed " I do n’t require tokill you ! What would I do without you ? " Mark Hamill ’s iconic Joker carrying into action inBatman : The Animated Serieswas also noted for comment " Without Batman , offense has no punchline . " upon acquisition of Batman ’s supposed last .
Ben Affleck ’s Batman and Jared Leto ’s Joker had the potential to explore an incredibly rich and fascinating relationship between the two characters , something audiences woefully never got to see pan out . Zack Snyder afford a tantalizing taste of their complex relationship in his variant ofJustice League , in which Batman and Joker have to begrudgingly work together , though they talk to each other almost as if they were previous friends . The thin line of work between love and hatred is a powerful angle for the two graphic symbol that Leto ’s Joker had the potential difference to develop , only to be pick out aside too shortly .
8Joker’s Controversial Design Was Never Explained On-Screen
Jared Leto’s “Hot Topic” look actually had some thought behind it
Beyond Leto ’s existent performance and on - correct mischief as Joker , one of the most frequent unfavorable judgment of the DCEU ’s reading of the reference was his costume design . From the voguish haircut to the Au grille and bad boy tattoo , peculiarly the infamous " Damaged " tattoo written across Leto ’s os frontale , Joker ’s design was wide laugh at upon being reveal to the world . While his innovation for sure is n’t as fair or timeless as other Jokers , deserving its criticism , the DCEU actually had a good ground for many of his costume and makeup option .
It may storm former DCEU fan to learn that each ofJared Leto ’s Joker tattoos had an account , however minor , that at least evidence some amount of thought went into his inked - up look . Additionally , Joker ’s infamous grills were explained by David Ayeras the result of having all his dentition knocked out by Batman , necessitating some flashy dental work . The " damage " tattoo , while emphatically a step too far in over - design Leto ’s Joker , was described as a reply to his missing tooth , fluff Batman about the enhancive damage he had cause .
7Leto’s Joker Had Weaponry And Vehicles Suiting His Whims
Most Jokers were too afraid to lean in to his comic book arsenal
In most depictions of the Joker , the villain augments his chaotic schemes with a bevy of clown - themed munition and vehicle , never omit the opportunity to enclothe up his dangerous escapades in Gotham City with some carnival presentation . For the most part , the film variant of the character have been too afraid to tip into this aspect of the fibre , worry audiences wo n’t determine him threatening or shuddery enough if allowed to be seen fly a gaudy regal - and - green blimp . Jack Nicholson ’s Joker really had a bonny number of clown gismo , wielding shock bell , acidulous squirting flower , and a comically oversized revolver .
Every other version of the Joker since Nicholson has relied on mostly terrene guns and auto , but Leto ’s Joker was n’t afraid to lean in to the rage of trashy equipment suit the clown melodic theme . From his decidedly unsubtle purple Lamborghini to his elaborated gilded firearms to his collaborator clad in campy mascot turnout , Jared Leto ’s Joker miss no opportunity to show off . In a way , the housing of his attention - grab equipment made Leto ’s Joker more comic - accurate than most .
6Even “Bad” Performances Work For The Joker
It’s not exactly hard to play an insane criminal
One interesting matter about the character reference of the Joker from an actor ’s position is that any operation of the villain will basically work , so long as it ’s sufficiently unnerving and bombastic . The Joker is n’t exactly a pernicious character , but he is unparalleled , and many of the intricacies of crafting a fragile performance that work for most purpose may not always interpret to him . Thusly , Leto ’s " weird " take is still effective in its own way .
He does n’t talk or act like a normal person , and because of that , any functioning that is sufficiently tumid will be enough to convey the lunacy of Batman ’s archenemy .
It does n’t count as much that Leto was awkward or erratic , because the Joker himself is all those things and more . He does n’t talk or act like a normal mortal , and because of that , any performance that is sufficiently orotund will be enough to convey the folly of Batman ’s archenemy . Even if he may be the least compelling Joker to sit diametric themany cinematic incarnations of Batman , Leto ’s performance did work for the character overall .
5Leto’s Joker Felt Like A Gangster
Leto emphasized the criminal in the Clown Prince of Crime
The Joker has many different aspects that each of the acclaimed actors to have tackle the role have identified with in varying ways . Jack Nicholson ’s Joker was a flamboyant supervillain , Heath Ledger ’s was an ungoverned agentive role of topsy-turvyness , and Joaquin Phoenix ’s was a tragic comedian . But one element of the character Leto specifically leaned into the hardest was his felonious nature , and the DCEU ’s Joker feel the most like an actual gangster evade the law and committing offence by a long shot .
Jared Leto ’s Joker scenes inSuicide Squadbrought to take care the personality of an unsound Hades crime knob , along the same bank line as Tuco Salamanca in theBreaking Badseries or Tony Montana ofScarfacefame . Not only was he a dangerous criminal , but he was fear by other serious criminals , as understandably exhibit in the nightclub scene , in which his unstable reputation preceded him in his interactions with other honcho . No other Joker has been able to put the " Crime " in the title " The Clown Prince of Crime " quite like Jared Leto was able to .
4Leto’s Joker Actually Used The Ace Chemicals Origin
One of the few cinematic Jokers to actually have the character’s signature stained skin and hair
In both the comics and the films , the Joker ’s inception is often impart to be something of a secret , with either conflicting stories or a total want of data clouding his past . That being say , the most well - have intercourse origin tale is the idea that the Joker was once an average , small - time malefactor who fell into a vat of volatile loony toons in Gotham City ’s Ace Chemicals , which always alters his body and fractures his mind . amazingly , Leto was the second Joker ever to in reality utilize this origin .
While Joaquin Phoenix’sJokeris an origin story in and of itself , andHeath Ledger ’s Joker stemma has multiple theoriesthat remain unconfirmed , Leto ’s Joker was the first to re - use the Ace Chemicals origin since Jack Nicholson . Ergo , he ’s only the second cinematic Joker to really have chalk - white skin and full green tomentum , whereas many other Joker iteration but rely on makeup and hair dyestuff . It ’s worth praising the DCEU for really taking the time to establish the Joker as something other than a lunatic outlaw with a near illimitable supply of white face pigment and green whisker dyestuff .
3Leto’s Joker Created Harley Quinn
And remains the only live-action Joker to do so
If no other kudos can be charge at Jared Leto ’s Joker , he ’s at least worth apprise for his hand in the creation of Margot Robbie ’s Harley Quinn , an incredibly faithful and well - receive adaptation of the popular villainess . While the development of the DCEU ’s Joker seducing and transforming Dr. Harleen Quinzel into Harley Quinn was crammed into a rushed flashback , it remains a visually salient and atmospheric chronological succession . Leto do to delivery some genuinely shuddery dialogue when stand over the just - witting Dr. Quinzel , promising that he wo n’t kill her , but is indeed going to hurt her , " really , really bad . "
Jared Leto ’s Joker operate well as an object of Harley Quinn ’s tenderness betimes on , and giving him a sort of " sorry boy " attractive appeal worked better for selling Harley ’s hopeless commitment to her toxic family relationship . insure Harley take a plunge into an Ace Chemicals tub herself was also a visual dainty , and the rancid romanticism may not have exploit as well with another doer drive the obsession . If nothing else , Leto ’s Joker at least helped bring about a worthy first live - action at law portrayal of Harley Quinn .
2The Joker Was Willing To Work Against Common Enemies
Crazy as he might be, he didn’t want Darkseid taking over
Batman and the Joker do work together is n’t a trope that ’s explored very often , but never fails to crowd please when it is implemented into a Batman story . The closest audiences ever got to go steady this toy out in bouncy action was the brief interaction between Jared Leto ’s Joker and Ben Affleck ’s Batman inZack Snyder ’s Justice League , in which the two appear to be working together in a twisted visual sense of the hereafter . Snyder’sJustice Leaguecut nearly redeemed Leto ’s Jokersingle - handedly with the exhaustively fascinating dialogue exchange between the two .
This appearance advise that Leto was capable of more depth with his Joker theatrical role than he initially let on , though he was sadly never given a luck to properly explore it .
In his brief cameo , Jared Leto was able to shockingly dial back his Joker performance , selling the threat of the Knightmare future by tone down his usual over - the - top prank . This appearance advise that Leto was adequate to of more deepness with his Joker role than he initially let on , though he was unhappily never given a chance to properly explore it . Even in the base cut ofJustice League , Batman carries a Joker wit taped to the stock of his assault rifle in the Knightmare episode , suggesting their cooperation had quite a profound impact on him .
1Leto’s Joker Managed To Kill Robin
No other cinematic Joker has dealt quite a blow to Batman
The Joker is a particularly vicious villain no matter who plays him , with every live - action Joker reveling in wanton destruction and holding a callous neglect for most human life story . That being said , no on - screen Joker has been able to injure his Batman counterpart quite as bad as Jared Leto ’s . InBatman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice , Ben Affleck ’s Bruce Wayne has a abbreviated shot glancing at a Robin suit , profane with graffiti clearly evocative of the Joker ’s handiwork , reading " Ha Ha Ha ! Joke ’s On You , Batman . "
This paint a picture the events of the original DC Comic in which Joker brutally beats the second rendering of Robin , Jason Todd , to death with a crowbar is indeed canon in the DCEU . It ’s safe to say that no other Joker has come close to striking such a personal blow to Bruce Wayne , with Heath Ledger ’s murder of Rachel inThe Dark Knightbeing a tight endorsement . Still , Leto ’s Joker is the only one with a confirmed superhero kill on his deal , making theDCEUJoker one of the most threatening versions of the character despite all his flaw .
Custom Image by Alex Valentino
